Sleeping at 4 in the morning, waking up at 12. Or sometimes sleeping at the hour when most people like to wake and then wake up in the late afternoon. It might be very comfortable but it sure wasn’t at all healthy. I soon started to see the effects of the schedule.
Daytime sleepiness, fatigue, anxiety, and whatnot. One day, I decided to fix the schedule and it was not at all easy. Bad habits don’t go easily and good habits are hard to attain. I tried many different ways to fix it but it didn’t happen initially. It took more time than it should, but eventually, I was able to fix it.
The things that worked for me were:
- Optimization of light: I was so determined to fix my schedule that I didn’t leave any search results. I read more than 20-30 blogs on the same and watched endless videos. I got to know a fact that most people don’t know. Our brain stops producing melatonin (the sleep hormone) when we expose ourselves to light. So that means more exposure to light is equal to less sleep. I tried to limit my light exposure by going out only in the mornings and staying away from light near my bedtime. And it worked, I was skeptical at first. But it did. The lights were dim in the room I slept in. were off most of the time. You should try this one for sure.
- Exercising: Everyone knows exercising makes you tired and induces the urge to rest. But one thing that we don’t know is that working out helps in producing melatonin. Yeah, the sleep hormone. 30 minutes of aerobic exercise is great for your sleep. It also impacts your sleep quality. If you want to see instant results, keep the exercise timings 1 or 2 hours before your bedtime.
- Meditation: Relaxation is very important. The major reason why we don’t fall asleep even though we have been in bed for like an hour is overthinking and of control mind that suddenly gets some magic powers at night. Like it producing a thousand thoughts per minute. Meditation can calm your senses and discard your extra thoughts. You need to do it regularly to see some results.
- Optimization of the room: The room which you sleep in should be fully optimized if you want yourself to sleep like a baby. Dim lights, no noise, a comfortable bed, cooling sensation are some of the optimal factors that will help you sleep easily.
- Eating early: The later you eat, the later you will sleep. Food routines can affect your sleep schedule to a great extent. That is why you must have experienced the night you binge-watch and binge eating is the night you will sleep very very late. Like in the morning. Try avoiding caffeine at late hours, get in a habit of eating food around the same time every day. It will help your sleep quality and your efforts to maintain a sleep schedule.
- Avoid caffeine and nicotine. Coffee, colas, certain teas, and chocolate contain the stimulant caffeine, and its effects can take as long as eight hours to wear off fully. Therefore, a cup of coffee in the late afternoon can make it hard for you to fall asleep at night. Nicotine is also a stimulant, often causing smokers to sleep only very lightly. In addition, smokers often wake up too early in the morning because of nicotine withdrawal.
- Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed. Having a nightcap or alcoholic beverage before sleep may help you relax, but heavy use robs you of REM sleep, keeping you in the lighter stages of sleep. Heavy alcohol ingestion also may contribute to impairment in breathing at night. You also tend to wake up in the middle of the night when the effects of the alcohol have worn off.
- Avoid large meals and beverages late at night. A light snack is okay, but a large meal can cause indigestion, which interferes with sleep. Drinking too many fluids at night can cause frequent awakenings to urinate.
- If possible, avoid medicines that delay or disrupt your sleep. Some commonly prescribed heart, blood pressure, or asthma medications, as well as some over-the-counter and herbal remedies for coughs, colds, or allergies, can disrupt sleep patterns. If you have trouble sleeping, talk to your health care provider or pharmacist to see whether any drugs you’re taking might be contributing to your insomnia and ask whether they can be taken at other times during the day or early in the evening.
- Don’t take naps after 3 pm Naps can help make up for lost sleep, but late afternoon naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night.
- Dark bedroom, cool bedroom, gadget-free bedroom. Get rid of anything in your bedroom that might distract you from sleep, such as noises, bright lights, an uncomfortable bed, or warm temperatures. You sleep better if the temperature in the room is kept on the cool side. A TV, cell phone, or computer in the bedroom can be a distraction and deprive you of needed sleep. Having a comfortable mattress and pillow can help promote a good night’s sleep. Individuals who have insomnia often watch the clock. Turn the clock’s face out of view so you don’t worry about the time while trying to fall asleep.
- Have the right sunlight exposure. Daylight is key to regulating daily sleep patterns. Try to get outside in natural sunlight for at least thirty minutes each day. If possible, wake up with the sun or use very bright lights in the morning. Sleep experts recommend that, if you have problems falling asleep, you should get an hour of exposure to morning sunlight and turn down the lights before bedtime.
- Don’t lie in bed awake. If you find yourself still awake after staying in bed for more than twenty minutes or if you are starting to feel anxious or worried, get up and do some relaxing activity until you feel sleepy. The anxiety of not being able to sleep can make it harder to fall asleep.
Remember that change doesn’t happen immediately. It takes commitment and repetition, but ultimately following these simple rules can help you sleep better.
