Sleep is a vital part of your wellbeing. Besides eating right and exercising routinely, getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night is one of the best things you can do for your health.
Sleep helps your body fight off germs, control blood sugar levels, moderate weight, improve heart health, and more.
Without proper sleep, you can have trouble focusing and taking in new information. You can also have difficulties recalling details.
During sleep, your brain is processing your memories and storing them for future use. When you don’t get enough sleep, your brain doesn’t have enough time to accomplish this.
Your brain also processes your emotions while you sleep. A lack of sleep can cause you to have more negative emotional reactions to stimuli. Chronic sleep deprivation can also increase your likelihood of developing a mood disorder.
Now that you know how important sleep is to your health, it’ll be easy for you to get the right amount of sleep every night…. right? Well, it’s usually not that simple.
As we all know, life can get in the way of sleep sometimes. You may plan on getting eight hours, but realize that you’re just too busy.
Many people also suffer from insomnia, which makes it even harder to get rest. There is no worse feeling than waking up in the morning for work after a long night of tossing and turning.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to improve your slumber. To learn how to achieve better sleep in 2022, continue reading below!
CBD Products
CBD products have been increasing in popularity significantly for the past few years. It seems like everywhere you go now, there’s a CBD shop. There’s even CBD products being sold at the gas station!
With how saturated the market has become, it is imperative to only buy CBD products from trusted vendors. Make sure to conduct extensive research on any brand you purchase from, as well as their individual products.
More and more people are beginning to use cbd for sleep. Unlike most sleep aids, CBD does not cause any physical dependency or withdrawals. This makes it a much more viable everyday option than pharmaceutical medications.
Crystal Candles
Have you ever tried a crystal energy candle? If you’ve a fan of crystals, incense, or essential oils, you’re going to love these candles!
These candles have real crystals in them, like rose quartz, amethyst, fluorite, moonstone, and more. To help you fall asleep, find a candle with a scent you find soothing. Try to imagine yourself falling asleep to that smell.
The next time you go to sleep, light the candle. It should be placed at a safe distance away from your bed. Do not keep it on your bed stand as you sleep. The last thing you want to do is knock over the candle in your sleep and burn your house down!
The best crystal candles are made with genuine crystals. Be weary of impersonators using cheap rocks disguised as crystals. When in doubt, ask the storeowner for some insight on the crystals. Workers at genuine crystal shops will be very knowledgeable about individual crystals.
Sleep Training
If you consistently have trouble falling and staying asleep, you might need to change the way you sleep.
When raising their children, parents often put their kids through nap training during infancy. During this process, babies are trained to take a small nap in the middle of the day, in order to conserve energy for the nighttime.
Often, babies can be very stubborn when trying to be put to bed. For this reason, parents must continually train their children to get used to midday naps.
Well, it just so happens that adults can be pretty darn stubborn too, when it comes to sleep. Many adults refuse to take midday naps because they think it’ll limit their productivity. In theory, it is a waste of time to sleep, when you have important work to do.
However, the truth is, when you’re well rested, you’re able to be more productive. In reality, that twenty to thirty minute nap in the middle of the day could help save you time.
Think about it. If you’re half asleep while you work, you’re going to work at half the pace you normally do. If you’re fully rested, you’ll be able to do twice the amount of work.
The Right Pillow and Pillow Cases
You’d be surprised how much of an impact your pillow and its case has on your sleep. Ultimately, the type of pillow you buy will depend on what kind of sleeper you are. A good rule of thumb when buying a pillow is to find one that is comfortable, but provides enough support for your back and neck.
It is a common misconception that all pillow cases are the same. Actually though, the cheapest pillow cases are far in quality from the top tier ones.
A high quality pillow case should be naturally thermoregulating, meaning it stays cool all night long. With a pillow case like this, you no longer have to constantly flip your pillow to keep yourself cool.
Your pillow case should also be antibacterial, ideally eliminating 99.9% of bacteria growth. This will keep your skin clearer, as you are less exposed to germs. It also prevents odors, which means you have to do less laundry.
Sleep-Friendly Foods
A lot of people don’t know that the foods they eat can actually affect your sleep. Over the years, large epidemiological studies have revealed that people who are sleep deprived tend to have lower quality diets than those who are not.
These diets include less protein, fewer fruits and vegetables, and a higher consumption of added sugar from foods like sugary beverages, desserts, and highly-processed foods. Though these studies do not necessarily prove causation, they do show correlation.
Besides these studies, there are also many anecdotal accounts of people feeling more drowsy when eating poorer quality foods. For instance, the notorious flavor enhancer MSG is known for causing sleepiness in people.
Generally, it is a good idea to eat low carb dinners and avoid eating before bed time. Eating before bed, especially foods high in sugar, can cause you to feel wired when attempting to sleep.
Put Some Noise On
One method of falling asleep that has worked wonders for ages, is putting on some background noise while you sleep.
This could be the sound of the television on low. It could be a song playing faintly in the background. It could be a peaceful audio loop of moving water.
Keep in mind though; blue light is radiated from practically any type of screen, whether it be your phone, laptop, or television. This light can inhibit the production of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin. If you’re using a device to play the noise, keep it at a distance from your bed.
A lot of people blame their thoughts for keeping them up at night. This is one way to distract yourself and ease your mind into a relaxed state. Find a sound that works for you. Some people report that just listening to the sound of static on their television helps them fall asleep.