Scientific advice for those who want to sleep better | Health

Stay away from electronic devices

The blue light emitted by most screens, especially smart screens, disrupts the rhythm of sleep in the brain, delusional that it is daytime and too early to fall asleep. This condition is commonly referred to as insomnia, and removing the underlying cause can have a significant positive effect on it. All you need to do to avoid this effect on the quantity and quality of your sleep is to stay away from electronic devices such as smartphones and televisions and turn them off at least an hour before bedtime.

Limit nap time

It is common for avoiding sleep during the day to affect the quality and quantity of sleep a person gets during the night. But if the person is tired and needs a nap, it is good to settle for 20 minutes of sleep during the day, provided that it is at the beginning of the day and not in the afternoon or evening. If you fall asleep late in your sleep, you should try to keep yourself busy with a walk, a chore around the house, or even talking on the phone with someone.

Don’t let the watch be your night companion

Many people make a huge mistake by placing a clock or alarm clock near their bed. You can wake up several times during the night and check the clock to make sure you haven’t fallen asleep and aren’t late for work or school. It is best to put an alarm clock, or even a smartphone, in a bedroom drawer or under the bed on the floor because if you wake up at night, it can put you to sleep without looking at the time.

Try placing a pillow between or under your knees

Many people suffer from back and neck pain when they fall asleep in the wrong positions. The spine is not equipped to be in a straight position during sleep because it is naturally built in a curved manner. When lying down, the back is forced to take the shape of a straight bed, which causes various pains. The solution is to place a pillow under the knees when lying on your back, as this allows the spine to regain the curve we talked about. When sleeping on one side, the pillow can be placed longitudinally between the knees and ankles so that the spine does not take on a twisted shape either.

Pay attention to the position of the neck

Sleeping on the wrong pillow can be more stressful than staying awake, as many are surprised by neck pain and stiffness in the morning. Choose your pillow carefully, as the pillow should not be too thin or too high, and you can make sure your pillow will fit if you sleep on your side by measuring the nose height from the bed and also measuring the height of the center of the body thereof. This way you ensure that the neck and spine are straight.

Try never to fall asleep in a lying position (sleeping on your stomach) as this puts enormous pressure on the cervical vertebrae. In addition to all of the above, it is necessary to ensure that the position of the neck during the day is also correct, that is, that you do not bend it or stretch it forward when watching TV or using a smartphone or computer.

Bedding packaging

Sneezing, runny nose, itching, and allergies can all lead to poor sleep quality, and the mattress you sleep on can be the cause of these conditions. Over time, the mattress can fill with mold, dust, micro-insects, their droppings and other allergy triggers. The solution may be to pack the mattress, its cardboard and even the pillows to avoid these cases. Of course, these covers must have zippers that allow mattresses and pillows to be taken out, aired and exposed to the sun from time to time.

The mattress is not for work and study

The privacy of the bedroom and the purpose of having a comfortable bed must be preserved. Don’t sit up in bed to run errands for work, do your homework, or even watch TV. Make sure you only go to bed when you sleep.

Maintain a regular sleep routine

Try going to bed and waking up at set times throughout the day, even on weekends. This routine works to get the brain used to waking up and sleeping regularly in a healthy way and without exhaustion. After a while, you will be able to fall asleep faster and wake up rested while maintaining a good quality of sleep.

When you wake up, it is helpful to expose your body to the sun if possible for 5-30 minutes as this tells your brain and body that morning has arrived and it is time to recharge.

Watch your caffeine intake

Caffeine during the day or the morning period in particular is very important, but by midday it is best to avoid caffeine in food and drink as small amounts can affect your nighttime sleep. For this reason, it’s best to read the ingredients of foods before consuming them, as caffeine sometimes ends up in unexpected foods, like dark chocolate.

Practice wisely

Regular exercise certainly helps you sleep better, provided you don’t do it right before bed, as the energy boost that comes with exercise can cause sleep-disrupting nighttime activity. Try to complete the exercise three or four hours before bedtime, knowing that meditation and yoga exercises can be one of the exceptions to this rule.

Eat healthy at night

Don’t try to eat fatty or heavy foods before bed or eat large meals late at night. These foods overload the digestive system and affect the quality and quantity of sleep. For this reason, doctors recommend eating dinner several hours before bedtime, as long as it’s a healthy meal that can keep you satisfied during the night hours at the same time.

Watch out for alcohol

Alcohol may be one of the beverages that doctors generally warn against, but it is particularly harmful at night because it affects sleep quality, even though it contributes to drowsiness. It is therefore preferable to replace alcohol in the evening with healthy drinks such as milk, green tea, or even lemon water.