A habit is something we often unconsciously do every time. How you walk up and down the stairs, how you greet someone on the phone or what you do before bed. What you do before you go to sleep affects your sleep quality. When you have habits that promote your sleep, it helps you move forward. But when your habits negatively affect your sleep, you may want to change them. After all, there are quite a few factors that affect your sleep.
Art light
Phones, laptops, TVs and tablets all emit light which can affect your hormone household. But also your lamps in the house disturb the biorhythm. The light reduces the production of melatonin, a hormone you need to fall asleep and stay asleep. When you produce melatonin too late, you may not have enough to get a good night's sleep. You may wake up several times a night. You can make sure you turn on candles instead of the big light a while before you go to bed, do a puzzle or read a book.
Alcohol and caffeine
A glass of wine in the evening can make you fall asleep faster, so it may seem appealing to turn it on when you want to get a good night's sleep. But, alcohol also simultaneously causes your REM sleep to be of poorer quality, you sleep less deeply which makes you recover less well during the night. Caffeine has an uplifting effect during the day, but can disrupt your rhythm in the evening. In any case, you can already reduce this by not drinking coffee after 2 a.m.
Not enough exercise
If you have a lifestyle where you don't move much during the day and sit a lot, for example, it can affect sleep quality. For example, exercise helps reduce stress. 30 minutes of exercise a day is already super nice! You can also move 1 minute an hour, set an alarm clock and do jumping jacks, lunges or squads.
Peak
Thinking, overthinking, mulling ... it keeps many a person awake. In the evening, certain situations sometimes seem worse, you have time to think and lie yourself awake. For example, you can quietly read a book or meditate, so you get tired but don't have the space to think about all kinds of situations.
Irregular sleep times
When you sleep very irregularly, your body cannot get used to a rhythm for sleeping. With a rhythm you fall asleep easier and get up easier. It takes some investment, but the results are worth it! Set an alarm clock to go to bed, make sure you have a good evening routine and get up immediately when the alarm clock rings (yes,... even on weekends). It's worth it if you have trouble sleeping and getting up!
Tips for a good night's sleep
- Mute the lights in the evening
- Do not drink alcohol or caffeine after 2 hours
- Exercise 30 minutes a day
- Do a meditation before bedtime
- Go to sleep at the same time and get up when the alarm clock rings
- Supplement your healthy lifestyle with supportive supplements
Supplements can support you when you want to supplement your lifestyle with additional nutrients, for example, in case of fatigue. Magnesium , for example, has a beneficial effect on reducing fatigue and tiredness. Iron helps reduce fatigue and tiredness. Vitamin B12 is good for fatigue and tiredness and Vitamin C contributes to extra energy for fatigue and tiredness.