Do you struggle to clock in the recommended 8 hours of sleep every night?
Do you often find yourself exhausted during the day, wishing you could go home and take
a long nap?
Sleep deprivation is no joke, and it can hinder our ability to think clearly.
Today, we're going to look at some tips, tricks, things to avoid and life hacks to help you
get a better sleep!
But first, before we begin this video, don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more
daily tips like this and turn on notifications so you never miss our new videos!
Also, check out our Bestie friendship quote at the end of the video!
Alright, so let's talk a little bit more about not sleeping.
Sleep deprivation is also detrimental to our health and well-being.
People try all sorts of different techniques to get more sleep or even cure their insomnia,
but sometimes it’s next to impossible without seeking help from a medical professional.
If you’re running out of ideas and are desperate to get that full night of sleep, there are
techniques out there that you can try that could help.
Let's explore some of the life hacks to get a good night sleep:
1.
Exercise (At The Right Time).
This may be a little bit confusing, but we're going somewhere with this tip, trust us.
Did you know that your body repairs itself and recovers while you’re sleeping?
This is why people who exercise quite often are more likely to get a full night’s sleep.
If you have a sedentary job or avoid exercising, try going for a light jog or even hitting
up the gym once in a while.
You’ll notice that it works wonders in getting better sleep.
If there’s nothing for your body to recover while you’re sleeping, it’s possible that
you are disrupting your body’s natural sleep cycle.
Just be sure that you don’t exercise too close to your bedtime, because the energy
may keep you up.
2.
Keep A Routine.
Here's a life hack that'll certainly make getting a better sleep much easier.
A daily routine helps your body clock gets used to regular, routine tasks and can actually
help you get a good night’s rest.
In addition to this, when you vary your sleep times by more than an hour, it breaks your
circadian rhythm and ruins the quality of your sleep.
So when your alarm goes off, try your best not to hit the snooze button.
It’s important that you have a regular sleeping routine, and snoozing your alarm will break
your body’s sleeping pattern.
In the long run, this will reduce your quality of sleep.
We know how hard this can be, but following this trick is important to making sure you
have a healthy sleep.
Be consistent with your sleeping pattern and you’ll notice that your sleeping will vastly
improve.
3.
Eat (At The Right Time).
We know all these tips, tricks and life hacks seem to be doing things at the right time,
but time is an important factor to determine whether or not you have a good sleep.
Food can have a huge effect on your quality of sleep.
Did you know that if you eat a big meal right before bed it can affect how you sleep that
night?
This is because it takes your digestive system a longer time to digest big meals, which will,
in turn, affect your sleep.
Also try not to sleep on an empty stomach, because empty stomachs can also affect your
sleep.
Eat protein rich foods such as turkey, tuna, and peanuts.
These types of food can help produce serotonin in your body, which can help you relax.
Try to avoid nicotine as well as caffeine.
Both have stimulating effects on your body, in turn affecting your sleep.
4.
Atmosphere.
Yes, this isn't just a tip and trick for restaurants, but a life hack to make your sleep better
as well.
Try to make your bedroom an environment which is relaxing, dark, quiet, and clean.
You may not know it, but these are things which can vastly improve or worsen your quality
of sleep.
Also, be sure to keep your room temperature anywhere between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius.
Sleeping in the right room temperature will also significantly improve your quality of
sleep.
If you are a very light sleeper, you should try purchasing some ear plugs to eliminate
any sounds that could possibly disrupt your sleep.
Try not to fall asleep with your TV on.
This can also have a negative impact on your sleep.
5.
Sleep In The Nude.
According to some sleep specialists, sleeping naked can help regulate your body temperature,
which can vastly improve your quality of sleep.
Another tip is to sleep with your head and even your arms out from under your blanket.
Try your best not to cover them when you go to sleep.
If you must wear pajamas, try wearing a pajama that is loose and made from cotton.
You can also try switching your sleep position.
It’s also suggested that you don’t sleep on your stomach, which can cause aches and
pains in your back.
If you do sleep on your stomach, try doing it with a pillow below your hips.
6.
Sleep Comfortable.
It's not just the atmosphere and the clothes that you wear that'll determine the quality
of your sleep.
This may sound pretty obvious, but the thing you sleep on makes a big difference as to
whether or not you'll sleep well.
"No duh" we hear you say, but let us ask you this: how old is your mattress?
We bet you either don't know or don't care, but did you know that your mattress' life
expectancy is only 9-10 years, and that's if it's a quality mattress.
There's a saying that we just made up that goes like this: look for a mattress the way
you'd look for a spouse: make sure that it's comfortable and supportive.
This goes the same for your pillows, which should feel like your resting your head on
a cloud.
Listen, this isn't the middle ages, you don't have to sleep on hay and in barns anymore.
Treat yourself.
7.
Wind Down.
Your body is a complex machine.
Unlike the ones we use every day, you can't just press a button and shut it down.
You need time to shift gears, to go into sleep mode.
For about an hour before you want to fall asleep, do something relaxing like reading.
This COULD be watching Youtube videos (Bestie comes out with at least a new video every
day, maybe watch it before bed) or watching TV, but keep in mind this doesn't work for
everyone and can actually keep you from sleeping.
Try a couple different things and see what works for you.
8.
Naps.
These mid day sleeps can be really nice, trust us, we know.
There's really nothing better on a Sunday after a brutal Saturday than napping all day,
but this can really kill your sleep schedule.
By this, we mean long, irregular naps, because sometimes if they're really needed short power
naps can be beneficial.
The people at HEALTH LINE report that "Another study noted that while napping for 30 minutes
or less can enhance daytime brain function, longer naps can negatively affect health and
sleep quality".
Like most things, it really depends on the person.
See what works for you and if you really can't stop taking naps, then keep them under 30
minutes.
9.
Melatonin.
If you're really having trouble sleeping, then maybe consider a Melatonin supplement.
The hormone is the one that tells your brain it's time to go to sleep, and maybe that's
the thing that your body is lacking.
The results speak for themselves, with studies by PUBMED saying that "In one study, 2 mg
of melatonin before bed improved sleep quality and energy the next day and helped people
fall asleep faster.
In another study, half of the group fell asleep faster and had a 15% improvement in sleep
quality".
Keep in mind that with both studies, no withdrawal effects were found.
You should start with low doses to find your tolerance, and of course, speak with a health
care professional before you start taking the supplement.
10.
Other Supplements.
If melatonin doesn't work for you, then HEALTH LINE reccomends some other supplements that
you can take: Lavender, which can induce a calming effect as well as many other health
benefits.
L-theanine, which can improve your ability to relax and ultimately, sleep.
Magnesium, which not only improves sleep quality but relaxation as well.
Valerian root, which helps you fall asleep.
Glycine, which is said to improve sleep quality.
And finally, Ginkgo biloba, a natural herb that helps with sleep, relaxation and stress
reduction, however, the evidence is said to be limited.
And that's it!
Did we help you get a night of better sleep?
Which one of our tips, tricks or life hacks did you like the best?
How about you, do you have anything sleep related you want to share with the rest of
Youtube?
Tell us in the comments section below all your sleep related life hacks, tricks, and
tips!