10 tips to regain useful sleep

Sleep disorders affect many people. The experts at the Sleep Center Cenas offer you 10 tips for better sleep, thus improving your back-to-school success!

1. Limit stimulants

During the evening, or even in the afternoon, consider reducing your intake of stimulants: coffee, tea, Vitamin C, or even cigarettes. These products can affect several hours after consumption and may therefore disrupt falling asleep.

2. Spend quiet evenings

To better find sleep when it’s time to go to bed, it’s preferable to engage in relaxing activities in the hours leading up to bedtime. Try to avoid screens and opt for reading, quiet conversations, a card game, herbal tea, or even better, a warm bath. Indeed, the bathwater will slightly increase your body’s internal temperature. When you exit the bath, your body will thus gradually cool down to return to its normal temperature. This process mimics the natural decrease in human body temperature induced by the brain when preparing for sleep and will help you find sleep more easily.

3. Have a well-ventilated and cool bedroom

The sleep environment is important for good sleep. It starts with your bedroom. Prefer a well-ventilated room, neither too hot nor too cold. The ideal temperature for good sleep is 19°C, so go easy on the heating in winter!

4. Listen to your body

Some signals don’t lie! Indeed, your body warns you of the right time to go to bed. Are your eyes getting tired? Are you starting to yawn? Don’t force it and instead go to bed. It will be the best way to respect your personal biological rhythm and thus find sleep.

5. Exercise regularly

Sleep and physical activity are closely related. That’s why adding exercise to your daily routine will help you sleep better. Let’s not forget that sleep, diet, and physical activity are the pillars of a balanced life. At the very least, aim for 30 minutes of brisk walking per day!

6. Don’t overdo napping

Naps can be restorative in the middle of the day to replenish energy for being active in the afternoon. However, be careful with naps that are too long and too late—they might prevent you from falling asleep at bedtime for a proper night’s rest.

7. No television or smartphone in the bedroom

If you want to quickly find sleep, and even more so, good sleep, you need to banish the television before going to bed. Indeed, the brain remains alert in front of a television screen. Television will not help you find sleep. That’s why we advise removing the television from the bedroom, especially for those affected by sleep disorders. Obviously, your smartphone should also stay in the living room; your calls and texts can wait until the next day for a response. Sleep is also about knowing how to disconnect!

8. Limit your alcohol consumption

Alcohol can help with falling asleep due to its short-term anxiolytic effect. However, you may wake up several times during the night and have restless sleep, which is less restorative. Additionally, we remind you that alcohol abuse is harmful to health.

9. Consider relaxation techniques

If you have trouble falling asleep, you can do relaxation exercises. Yoga, meditation, help your body calm down and relax, these activities help to find sleep better. If relaxation exercises seem inaccessible to you, you can practice simple breathing exercises. Deep breaths mimic the feeling of the body when it is relaxed. These exercises of inspirations and expirations will help you feel calmer and more relaxed, thus sleeping better.

10. Combat snoring

Snoring problems affect many people. Often, it’s the partners of snorers who complain, but snoring also disturbs the snorer’s sleep. Some simple tricks can help reduce snoring: sleeping on your side, avoiding alcohol before bed, or even losing weight.

If your sleep problems seem more significant and you’re struggling to overcome them, therapy may be necessary. To find out, it’s best to seek the advice of a professional. Cenas offers a free initial consultation to evaluate your sleep and help you regain quality sleep. Contact us!