Overcoming Sleep Disruptions at Night: My Success Story on Restoration
A good night's sleep is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being. Establishing a consistent and effective nighttime routine, also known as sleep hygiene, can significantly improve the quality of your sleep. Here are some tips to help you create a sleep-friendly environment and routine.
An evening bath can be a great way to relax your muscles and signal your body and brain that it's time to wind down. The drop in core body temperature that follows can help prepare you for sleep. However, it's important to ensure that you've completed your usual pre-bedtime tasks, such as getting into your pyjamas and brushing your teeth, before stepping into the bath.
A consistent sleep schedule is key to regulating your circadian rhythm, stabilising energy levels, and improving the release of sleep hormones. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
Creating a sleep-conducive environment is also crucial. Keeping your TV in the living room instead of the bedroom can help build a strong association between sleep and your bedroom. Using the bedroom for anything other than sleep, especially in the evening, can make it harder for your brain to wind down when it's time to sleep.
Watching TV in bed can also stop your bedroom from being associated with relaxation, making it difficult to wind down enough to fall asleep. Moreover, it can interrupt sleep, keeping you in lighter stages of sleep, and potentially causing stressful dreams.
Establishing a nighttime routine is essential for sleep hygiene. Reading before bed can help slow your mind down and reduce stress, while avoiding sugar and caffeine, especially in the evening, can improve sleep quality. Eating three balanced meals a day can better regulate your energy, making it easier to fall asleep and sleep through the night. Eating dinner too late, on the other hand, can increase your core body temperature and activate digestion, delaying sleep onset and leading to more nighttime awakenings.
Late-night phone usage can increase nighttime anxiety and stimulate your mind, making it difficult to wind down and relax. Therefore, it's a good idea to put your phone away before bedtime.
If you're struggling with sleep issues, you might want to consider seeking the help of a sleep medicine specialist. In the USA, you can find a specialist by searching for a "sleep medicine specialist" or "trauma specialist" who may be a psychiatrist, psychologist, or a sleep physician. Specialists who combine trauma and sleep medicine usually have titles like "Psychiatrist specialized in Sleep Medicine and Trauma" or "Sleep Medicine Physician with expertise in Trauma".
By following these tips, you can create a sleep-friendly environment and routine, improving the quality of your sleep and overall well-being. Sweet dreams!
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