Sleep hygiene can be improved by avoiding screentime before bedtime
Highlights
- Find out if you are a short-duration of long-duration sleeper
- Accordingly set your sleeping time and make sure you get that much sleep
- Create a sleep-friendly environment in your bedroom to sleep well
The importance of good night's sleep is much more important than you can imagine. Sleep hygiene plays a crucial role in helping you have a good night's sleep. It is referred to a set of practices and habits that are important for you to have a good night time sleep quality and full daytime alertness. Talking about sleep hygiene and the importance of it is nutritionist Nmami Agarwal in her blog shared on Instagram. She says that every individual must be aware of sleep nature, and if they are long-duration sleepers or short-duration sleepers.
Importance of sleep hygiene and tips to maintain it
Firstly, it is important to understand the amount of sleep required by your body. "To understand your sleep nature, set aside enough time to realistically get at least 7 hours of sleep. If you do this for a few days and still wake up feeling unrested, gradually increase the number and this may be a sign that you are a long sleeper," writes Nmami in her blog.
Also read: Sleep Apnea Can Also Cause Blindness In Diabetics
On the other hand, in case you feel great even after sleeping for 4 to 6 hours a day, then you are a short-duration sleeper. This to infer that the correct amount of sleep varies from person to person. What's important is to feel well-rested and fresh when you wake up in the morning.
You should sleep well to prevent daytime sleepiness
Photo Credit: iStock
Moving over to sleep hygiene, you must know that it is important for your physical and mental health. A good sleep hygiene can improve your productivity and overall quality of life. Good sleep practices can benefit everyone from children to older adults.
People who feel sleepy during the day and experience frequent sleep disturbances are likely to have poor sleep hygiene. Other sign of poor sleep hygiene is taking too long to fall asleep. In case you feel these symptoms, it is time you reconsider your sleep routine and make changes that can help you sleep better.
Also read: Top 6 Ways To Fix Your Sleep Cycle
Tips to improve sleep hygiene
1. Avoid using gadgets at least one hour before bed time
Watching TV, using phone, laptops and tabs etc can make it difficult for you to fall asleep on time. Blue light imparted by screen can be harmful for your sleep. Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar recommends that you should avoid using phones and all other screen an hour before bed time. Doing this can help in improving your sleep cycle.
2. Make a cosy, sleep-friendly environment in your bedroom
At times, your sleep may be disturbed because of the lights in your room or an unclean or unkempt bed, etc. If you experience trouble sleeping every night, then work towards making your bedroom more comfortable and sleep-friendly. Enter your bed room only after completing all your chores. When you get in bed, there should be no task that you are doing. Listen to music that induces sleep and it can help in improving your sleep quality.
3. Exercise regularly
Regular exercise can help you sleep better at night. Even 15 minutes of aerobic exercise like running, cycling or walking can improve your sleep quality. Avoid strenuous workouts close to bed time. See what works best for you but make sure to include exercise in your daily routine.
Regular exercise can help you sleep well at night
Photo Credit: iStock
Also read: These Simple Exercises Can Improve Your Digestive Health And Melt Your Belly Fat Quickly!
4. Avoid foods that can disrupt your sleep
This is one of the many reasons why it is better to have light dinners or have a gap of at least 2 hours between your dinner and bed time. Fatty or fried meals and caffeinated drinks can cause indigestion issues and make it difficult for you to sleep.
5. Get adequate exposure to natural light
Getting no exposure to natural light may be detrimental for your natural sleep-wake cycle. Exposure to sunlight during the day and darkness at night is important for good sleep hygiene.
A good sleep hygiene is an essential prerequisite to sleeping well, weight loss and good health. Try these tips and let us know if they helped you sleep better in the comments below.
(Nmami Agarwal is nutritionist at Nmami Life, Delhi)
(Rujuta Diwekar is a nutritionist based in Mumbai)
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.