How to prepare yourself to sleep well
6 to 8 hours – that´s the ideal of sleep. But as we are getting caught up with our hectic routine, we hardly sleep that long, for some reasons. The quantity of sleep affects the quality of sleep. When we can´t sleep soundly, we are compromising our health. We recommend you do some preparations before crawling to your sleep cave and have a restful night.
- Switch off your screens
TV, computer or smartphone – these gadgets increase our alertness, and are the source of blue light that hurts your quality sleep. If you´re having insomnia, your sleep doctor would normally ask you to turn off all sources that delay the release of melatonin – the sleep hormone.
- Avoid drowsiness at noon
Feeling sleepy in the afternoon is normal. We probably eating too large portion of lunch or we forgot to finish off our coffee in the morning. But taking a nap in the afternoon is not suggested as it may disrupt your sleep pattern at night. Instead, make yourself more alert in the afternoon, by taking a short walk to the park (or pantry if you´re at the office), talking to a friend, or drinking something cold, or zesty-flavored tea to give wake you up.
- Train your brain
When your sleep pattern is already disrupted, it´s never too late to start a good habit. If you tend to open your laptop on bed, try to work on your desk and make sure that your bed is only for sleeping. Create a sleeping temperature that´s best for you. This will train your brain to get ready for sleep when you touch down your cozy bed.
- Avoid carbonated drinks at night
Soda has a hidden caffeine content. If you´re having a sleep problem, the smallest amount of caffeine can worsen your condition. Switch to hot cocoa or sleep-inducing herbal drink instead.
- Schedule your workout
While exercise improves your sleep quality, it is not recommended to walk on your treadmill before bed time. The ideal time to workout is 4 to 5 hours before you crawl to bed. Other exercises that improve sleep are Yoga and Tai Chi.
- Drink wisely
Wine may put you to sleep faster but the after effect may disrupt your circadian clock and causes drowsiness the next day. Pick bedtime drink that naturally relaxes muscles and calms your mood like lemongrass, fennel or mace which is loaded with stress-reducing properties.
Our Happy Sleeping Tea helps you obtain a good quality sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. Balitaza Happy Sleeping Tea contains dried mace, fennel and lemongrass that support healthy sleep.
