October 04 2016 5 ways get best out your sleep
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Almost everybody LOVES sleep. But for many of us (especially parents), we’re not catching as many z’s as we would like to, or our alarm always feels like it’s going off way too early, or we’re waking up with less energy than desired. To help you JUMP of bed in the morning (pun intended), we’ve compiled a list of our top 5 tips to help you get the best out of your sleep. Be sure to also check out our similar guide, How to Bounce out of Bed in the Morning, which goes hand-in-hand with our top 5 tips below. And if you’re experiencing the joys of motherhood or fatherhood, these tips are even more important to remember – they’ll help you get the most of the precious snooze time you have! Make Your Room ColdIsn’t it a great feeling in winter when it’s cold, and you snuggle up with a big blanket, warm, snug and comfortable in your bed? There’s just something about having a cold room that helps many people sleep better. Generally it’s better for sleep to be slightly cold than slightly hot, if you can’t get the ‘perfect’ temperature, so turn that fan on, swap out your blanket for something cooler, and see how much of a difference it makes. If you don’t have an air-con, try putting a portable fan aimed straight at your bed. Embrace the DarknessMelatonin is a hormone that is controlled by exposure to light, and helps your sleep cycle. When you’re in darkness, your brain releases more melatonin, which makes you feel sleepy. And vice versa - when you expose yourself to bright lights, the melatonin levels are less, making you more alert and awake. Avoiding bright screens within 1-2 hours of your bedtime is a good idea, or turn the brightness down on the smart device you’re using. If you can dim your lights soon before bedtime, it will also help your melatonin levels increase, and tell your brain that it’s bedtime soon. When you do go to bed, make sure the room is dark, with good block-out curtains or blinds, or try using an eye mask. And if you get up in the middle of the night, try not to turn on any bright lights, which will wake you up more than necessary. And if you try to make sure you expose yourself to sunlight each morning, it’s also been proven to help keep those rhythms in check! Peace and QuietTry to make your room as quiet as you can. If you can’t make your room totally quiet, or have lots of neighbourhood noise you can’t control, try creating some ‘white noise’ for yourself – something constant that you can tune out, like a fan, that will help you block out other noises. If you are still having trouble, earplugs can really help, at least until you get yourself into better sleep cycles. Exercise to Enhance sleepExercising provides so many good health benefits, and a better sleep at night is one of those. Any exercise is better than no exercise, so start with a little exercise and build yourself up to it! The recommendation is at least 30 minutes a day. Jumping on a trampoline is a great, fun, and relatively effort-free exercise that you can easily do in your own home. And 10 minutes of bouncing is the cardio equivalent of a 30-minute jog – so you can feel like you’re really achieving! Just try to avoid vigorous exercise 3 hours before bedtime, as if it’s too close to your bedtime, it could make it harder for you to fall asleep. If you have the choice to exercise any time of day, a 2003 Study by the National Sleep Foundation found that a morning fitness regime was the key to a better sleep. Check out our article 5 Reasons to Bounce in the Morning for more info and inspiration on a fun morning workout! Bedtime YogaSet aside 15 minutes before bed to do something that relaxes you, clears your mind and prepares you for bed. Bedtime routines are great, and will help you switch off your thoughts and relax, as you turn it into a real bedtime ritual. After the kids are in bed, try reading a book for 15 minutes, or do some gentle bedtime yoga. Doing some gentle and relaxing yoga stretches can help you clear your mind, reduce your muscle tension, and get your breathing steady. Make sure you close your eyes and breathe in deeply. You’ll feel fully relaxed and ready for bed. Read our similar guides, which all work in together to get the best sleep, and the most energy for your day, How to Bounce Out of Bed in the Morning, and 5 Reasons to Jump in the Morning. Or, find out more about Springfree Trampoline. --------------------------------------------------- |