Secrets to Defeat Insomnia

There have been many studies conducted on sleep habits over the past decade. Some claim that sleeping between 7-9 hours a night is the best amount of sleep a person can get. Others claim that anything over 8 hours is too much and that sleeping less than 7 hours is downright dangerous!

So which is true? Which is better for your health? The answer is probably somewhere in the middle. But one thing is for sure. Lack of sleep can have severe effects on your health. It can wreak havoc on your immune system, make your brain foggy, and keep you from feeling motivated.

But did you know sleep deprivation can also lead to weight gain? Lack of sleep can increase your appetite and cause you to crave unhealthy foods.

If you're having trouble sleeping at night, here are five great ways to get the shut-eye you need:

  Increase Exposure to Natural Bright Light During the Day

Sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythms - aka your sleep-wake cycle. If you can spend time outside during the day, exposing yourself to sunlight, this can help reset your body's natural circadian rhythm so that you fall asleep more easily at night.

Research shows that people with insomnia improve their sleep quality when exposed to bright natural light.

      Don't Drink Coffee After 2 PM

For many people, caffeine helps them stay awake because it stimulates their central nervous system. This is not what you want if you have insomnia.

Caffeine keeps you stimulated, which is the opposite of the mental state you need for sleep. You may feel tempted to get another cup of coffee to give you an afternoon boost. But you'll be better off sticking to water, tea, or other healthy beverages.

Caffeine stays in your system for at least six hours. So drinking coffee after 2 PM means you'll still be getting its stimulating effects when you try to sleep.

  Stay Away from Alcohol Three Hours Before Your Bedtime

Alcohol is a sedative, so it may help you fall asleep faster. But this makes it difficult to wake up and get out of bed in the morning.

Alcohol also disrupts your sleep cycles and REM phase, which is key to feeling rested in the mornings. If you drink and have trouble sleeping at night, try to reduce your alcohol intake to one or two glasses of red wine a night.

   Get Uninterrupted Sleep Instead of Fragmented Sleep Blocks

One sleep block of six hours offers more benefits than eight hours of fragmented sleep.

Instead of going to bed and waking up repeatedly throughout the night, you're better off going to bed at the same time each night and sleeping straight through until you wake up the next day.

   Sleep and Wake Up at the Same Time Each Day

Sticking to a schedule helps you sleep better at night because your body gets used to the schedule. Going to sleep at the same time each day also helps set your body's internal clock, making it easier to get into a healthy rhythm.

If you're used to falling asleep at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning, you'll have an easier time falling asleep at night and waking up in the morning.

   Final Thought

Good sleep is vital to maintaining good health, so it's crucial to tackle insomnia early on and break the cycle! You don't have to start a physically challenging workout routine or starve yourself to get the sleep you need. You simply need to avoid some bad habits and practice new ones.

Please share your thoughts and any response you may have in the form below.

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