Modern research shows just how important getting the right amount of quality sleep is for optimal performance and overall health. That’s right; you need both the right amount of sleep and enough good sleep to count.
Rolling around for hours in your bed restlessly will leave you feeling haggard, and you won’t last long on three hours of sleep a night, even if you’re out like a light. It’s got to be a balance of both.
Why? Getting proper sleep has a ton of restorative benefits for the body. Your body has a chance to rest, work on reducing inflammation, and reproduce critical cells across various systems. Additionally, proper sleep has an incredible balancing effect. Getting good sleep helps you feel better, reduce stress, and manage your weight because it reduces the chances of emotional eating.
Studies also indicate that good sleep helps improve memory and other cognitive functions. If you want to be on your game at work or school, then getting a good rest at night is key. People who sleep more have better attention spans and can recall information faster than those who are sleep-starved. Likewise, athletes generally see an increase in performance when they get more sleep.
Now that we know that sleep is vital to health, how do we go about getting sleep efficiency? The good news is that there are ways to fall asleep faster and get better sleep by making a few lifestyle changes and paying attention to your health more. Here are some things you can start doing right away to start getting better sleep.
Create a Pre-Sleep Routine
We’re all creatures of habit. Our bodies respond to stimuli relatively predictably, so if you want better sleep, you have to start sending your body the right signals. Are you playing on your phone in bed? Do you eat too late in the evening? Are you drinking caffeine or taking other stimulants?
All of these things are going to impair your ability to fall asleep quickly and stay soundly asleep. Your body is still in overdrive, and it can’t simply stop on a dime. You’re going to need to create the conditions that tell your body it’s time to shut down so you can finally get some rest.
Start doing things like lowering the lights and playing relaxing music. Put your phone away and read a book for thirty minutes to calm your mind and body. Eventually, your body will get the hint, and you’ll find that you are falling asleep faster than you used to and that your sleep is sound.
Stop Drinking as Much
When you drink alcohol in the evenings, it can certainly put you to bed faster. But your body is fighting the effects of the alcohol long after you’re asleep. Excessive alcohol consumption will disrupt your sleep, and you’ll likely feel it in the morning when you wake up feeling groggy and tired. Keep drinking and other bad habits like smoking to a minimum. It will help you sleep better and feel healthier overall.
Avoid Too Much Stress
It’s been a rough couple of years for a lot of people. The constant yo-yo-ing of restrictions, returning to the office, and other disruptions have made stress almost a constant in our lives. However, stress is incredibly unhealthy, not only for sleep but also for the heart and brain. Do what you can to identify triggers of stress in your life and start avoiding them. While it’s not possible to avoid stressors like having kids or work-related stress, you can do things like avoiding long commutes or spending time with people you get into fights with. Preventing stress is also great when it comes to avoiding bad foods and other negative health decisions. You’ll have a clearer mind when you need to make important decisions.
Peptides & Sleep Efficiency
Peptides have been shown in studies to deliver benefits specific to sleep quality. For example, we’ve known now for quite some time that sleep cycles are likely regulated by orexin, a powerful neurochemical produced by neurons in the brain. Research in rainbow trout suggests that exogenous administration of the peptide sermorelin boosts orexin secretion in the brain. It’s a positive sign that sermorelin is a potential treatment for sleep disorders.
Exercise
Make time to exercise to improve your sleep quality. No, you don’t have to start running marathons or lifting weights every day, but getting outside for a walk in the hours before bedtime will do wonders for your sleep. Especially now, when so many of us work at desks and get relatively negligible exercise, making time to work out should be a priority. Start from wherever you are fitness-wise. You can begin by taking walks around your neighborhood and progress from there.
Exercising not only calms the body, but it also quiets the mind. You’ll find that stress melts away, and your body and brain will be begging for bedtime when you’re through.
These are some ways you can improve your sleep simply, and you’ll start seeing positive results right away. You’ll notice that you feel energized, make better decisions, and perform better when you’re getting enough high-quality sleep every night.