ways to get back on track with your sleeping pattern
ways to get back on track with your sleeping pattern
The winter season can wreak havoc on our bodies in a variety of different ways. Because daylight savings time is still in effect, our lips become chapped, our skin becomes parched, and our normal pattern of sleep is entirely thrown off. The mornings are pitch black, and the sun doesn’t bother to poke its head over the horizon until four o’clock in the afternoon, if it even bothers to show its face at all.
Our internal body clocks eventually become thrown off, which isn’t helped by the fact that more and more of us are working from home. It is easy to feel sluggish, unrested, and yet unable to sleep at night, despite feeling weary, because our pattern has now shifted from getting up and going to work in the morning to a more “bed to desk” habit. This has caused our morning routine to be more like “bed to desk.”
In order for us to complete 4-5 sleep cycles of 90 minutes each, we require 7-9 hours of sleep each night. The sensation of having had a “good night’s sleep” is contingent on your ability to maintain these cycles without interruption. In this section, we will discuss some of the reasons why your routine isn’t allowing you to get a restful night’s sleep and some of the straightforward solutions that we may suggest to assist you address this issue.
Your daily schedule seems to be all over the place.
The first thing you need to do in order to get a good night’s sleep is to get your body in the right state. You are not the only one whose idea of a reasonable bedtime has shifted around a bit recently. It is critical that your brain and body get into the habit of anticipating a time each day when they will be asked to turn off and wake up. Yes, even the weekends. On our days off, most of us are guilty of sleeping in and staying up late for fun, but you should try to limit yourself to these activities just on occasion. They interfere with the conditioning that your brain is through in order to transition into a state that is appropriate for sleeping and waking up.
You aren’t receiving enough exposure to natural light or airborne particles.
A lot of people are finding that working from home offers them a variety of advantages. One disadvantage, on the other hand? We are less likely to go out for lunch, so increasing our exposure to the sun and blue sky, both of which are necessary for the proper functioning of our internal clocks. Being exposed to artificial illumination all day throws off our body’s natural rhythm, which is designed to keep us awake between sunrise and sunset and at its most alert during the daylight hours in between. Try going outside, even if it’s just for a short stroll of twenty minutes during your lunch break, and observe what kind of a difference it makes in the way your mind works. Additionally, it will keep you attentive throughout the day.
It’s late, and you’re looking at yourself on a screen.
According to the findings of a growing number of research, this is one of the most problematic factors. Receiving too much blue light at the wrong time, which is light that is literally designed to wake you up, can destroy your chances of falling off to sleep on your own naturally. This is similar to how not getting enough daylight during the day can deregulate you. Even though it has the appearance of relaxation, such as watching television or browsing through Instagram or Pinterest, these activities do not actually calm your brain. It causes stimulation, which makes it more difficult to relax and turn off at the time that you have set aside for sleep. Before going to bed, it is recommended by specialists to spend at least one hour meditating or reading a book. However, in the event that this is completely impossible, certain technology comes equipped with an orange light or a night mode specifically for this purpose. Even with the blue-light filter turned on, e-readers are not perfect, but if you want to read on your Kindle before going to bed, it’s probably a good idea to do so with the filter activated.
You are having a huge meal or one that is high in carbs or sugar too soon to night.
Sugar, caffeine, carbohydrates. When we are in need of a burst of energy to keep us going throughout the day, these substances, when consumed in moderation, can be very beneficial. When meal is digested too close to bedtime, however, our bodies are suddenly faced with the challenge of converting all of this food into energy with nowhere else for it to go. Because our bodies are looking for any way to let off steam in response to symptoms such as restless legs and a mind that is racing, we may have sleep disruptions or a complete loss of sleep. Before going to bed, give some caffeine-free herbal teas a try to quiet your nerves, keep you hydrated, and satisfy any cravings you might have. Herbal teas made from chamomile, lemongrass, and lavender are all wonderful choices for getting a good night’s rest.
The ideas in your head are racing.
We’ve all been in that situation. We have all experienced the frustration of having a brain that won’t stop talking, whether it be about an important presentation you have tomorrow, a door you’re not sure whether you locked, or even something as simple as, “God, that sounded stupid when I said it earlier.” There are a lot of reasons for this, both big and tiny, but I’ve found some minor ideas and methods that actually work. Contextualizing it is one possible approach to take. In a week’s time, would anyone other than myself remember what I said today? Almost certainly not. Another option is to maintain a notebook right next to the bed. Instead of grabbing for your phone to get your mind off the things that are bugging you, try writing down what it is that’s on your mind. You should write down everything that needs to be done the day after tomorrow, before the presentation, so that you can clear your mind of those worries and rest. And finally, my all-time favourite: a YouTube video of a guided meditation on falling asleep. You can put yourself to sleep by playing some peaceful music or listening to a soft voice that has been specially created to make you feel sleepy and comfortable. My personal favourite is show, who can be found on YouTube, but there are many others from which you can choose the one that is best for you!
Your diet does not provide you with an adequate amount of magnesium.
Magnesium is an essential component for having restful sleep. It has been demonstrated that a deficiency in it can raise levels of weariness and low energy. You may easily increase the amount of magnesium in your diet in a variety of straightforward methods. Foods such as bananas, avocados, beans, spinach, almonds, dark chocolate, non-fat yoghurt, quinoa, oats, cashews, salmon, and broccoli are all excellent sources of magnesium.
A popular opinion holds that purchasing sex toys is the pinnacle of self-care.
Orgasms cause the release of oxytocin, an anti-stress hormone that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside when you cuddle someone. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls sleep, also makes an appearance during an orgasmic episode. When you’ve had a tough week, it makes perfect sense to say something along the lines of “I need to get laid,” as it stands to reason that this is something that genuinely makes sense to say.