A lack of sleep increases the chance of depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer and can ultimately lead to death. Your body needs at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Most of us are aware of how much sleep our body requires, yet we are not getting in the hours of sleep we need. An estimate of one in three adults sleep less than six hours every night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The reasons why people do not get enough sleep are endless. For some people, it is not by a choice. Conditions like insomnia, anxiety, and chronic stress are some of the reasons why many people struggle to fall asleep. For others, it is just out of poor lifestyle choices. There are serious conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), thyroid disorders, and restless leg syndrome (RLS) that prevent people from having a good night’s sleep. 

Luckily, there are ways to help you sleep better at night. Having good sleep hygiene will increase your chances of resting well. Sleep hygiene refers to things like having a consistent sleeping time every night, your eating habits before bed, and the amount of screen time you take in before bed. Here are some sleep hygiene tips to get you the sleep that you need. 

Don’t Consume Caffeine In The Afternoon

You might have to reconsider your afternoon choice of drink. Energy drinks, coffee, and even some tea’s all contain caffeine. If you’re looking to stay awake and on high-alert, then have a cup of coffee, but if your goal is to sleep for a good amount of time, it is best to avoid all drinks that contain a high amount of caffeine. A single serving of coffee contains 80-100mg of caffeine. Caffeine is a natural stimulant that stimulates your nervous system and your brain. The effects of caffeine can linger in your body long after you have consumed it, lasting up to 6 hours in your system. How long caffeine will affect you depends on how sensitive you are to it. Just to be safe, drink your coffee earlier in the day, rather than in the afternoon. 

The Bedroom Is For Sleeping Only 

As humans, our bodies react to our surroundings and routines. If you do tasks while sitting or laying on your bed, the chances of you falling off to sleep quickly are fairly low. Your brain does not understand that you want to sleep now because it is receiving mixed signals due to you scrolling through your phone while in your bed. It would be beneficial if you avoid doing anything else but sleeping on your bed. Create a space that is dedicated to sleep only. This will help your brain recognize that it is time to sleep, and you won’t have much trouble falling asleep once you lay your head down. 

Do Regular Exercise

Many studies have shown that doing regular exercise improves your sleeping patterns. The reason for this is because when you exercise, you release good hormones for your body. It is also a good way to tire your body out. To get the sleeping benefits out of exercise, make sure to work out a few hours before you sleep. This will help your body to wind down on its own. 

Don’t Use Your Phone 

Before you panic, you are allowed to use your phone, just not before bedtime. Using screens before you go to sleep results in trouble sleeping. Your phone and other devices that have a screen emit a blue light, which restricts your brain from producing hormones that make you sleep. Your brain sees this blue light as it would see sunlight from the sun, which causes your brain to think it is daytime and will therefore struggle to wind down. If you do have to use your phone before you sleep, make sure to put it on “night mode”. This is a feature that most smartphones have, which prevents the blue light from engaging your brain. 

Besides the fact of the blue light, consuming information before trying to sleep is not helpful to your mind. Your brain is already filled with all the events and activities from the day. You need to rest your brain. Unplugging from the world is a good way to signal to your body that you are ready to sleep. Put your phone away for at least an hour before you sleep. 

Orgasm Before You Sleep 

Having sex before bed can increase your chances of sleeping well. When you orgasm, a number of chemicals are released. Oxytocin, known as the love hormone, gives your body a “feel good” feeling and will have you feeling sleepy. Serotonin is another chemical that is released, which is closely linked to stress and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Vasopressin is a sleep hormone that is released, which controls the rhythms of your body, including your temperature and blood pressure. Prolactin, known as the satisfaction hormone, is released and has a sedative effect that makes it easy to fall off to sleep. Orgasms with a partner or more effective than orgasms from masturbation. 

Sleep At The Same Time Every Night 

Having a specific bedtime each night will help your body to fall into the pattern of sleeping. Have you ever heard someone say their sleeping schedule is a mess? This usually results in a bad night’s sleep and not getting enough sleep. Our bodies need consistent sleep. The term “catching up on sleep” is a myth. Our bodies cannot fill in the blanks. All this does is only confuse our body patterns even more. Try your best to sleep at the same time every night, even on weekends.