Do you want a better night’s sleep? Having a good night’s rest can influence your day. When you sleep better you perform better during the day with a better attitude. Here are five ways that you can have a better night’s sleep.

1. Don’t take naps
2. Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet
3. Pay attention to what you eat/drink, don’t eat too close to when you sleep
4. Workout (not too close to when you sleep)
5. Write down/ talk out everything that is stressing you 

Don’t take naps

Daytime naps can make you sleep terribly! In your sleep cycle, you have four stages. The first two are NREM sleep, where your body calms down. In those two stages your body temperature, brain activity, and breathing/ heart rate decrease. 

Your third stage of sleep is a deep NREM sleep. This is when everything reaches their lowest point in the sleep cycle. When you wake up in the cycle then you are confused and groggy.

The last stage is REM sleep where your breathing and heartbeat increase. Dreams occur in this stage!

If you nap in the evening, you will have a deeper sleep in your sleep cycle, causing you to not be able to sleep at night. If you nap during the day, make it in the morning for less than an hour!

Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet

Sleeping in a cool dark room can help you have a better nights sleep! With a colder temperature it helps lower your body temperature. This helps you slip into a deeper sleep faster and longer. 

Light signifies to your body that it is time to get up! If you sleep in a dark quiet room it is easier for your body to relax.

You can use shades, fans, or earplugs to make your sleeping environment better! 

Pay attention to what you eat/drink, don’t eat too close to when you sleep

Nicotine, alcohol and caffeine have effects that can take hours to wear off. Alcohol makes you feel sleepy at first, but a few hours in and you will have a restless sleep!

You don’t want to go to bed too full, when you eat close to bedtime (especially high-protein foods) it takes longer for your food to break down. When you sleep your digestion slows down to around 50 percent. 

Going to bed hungry can cause discomfort! You may wake up in the middle of the night, or have a harder time waking up in the morning because your body doesn’t have the energy.

Eat healthy and earlier for a better nights sleep!

Workout (not too close to when you sleep)

Exercise helps you have a better night’s sleep! Exercise will increase the “slow wave” sleep you get at night. It helps stabilize your mood and relax your mind, these both help you fall asleep faster. 

Although exercise will help you sleep better, be careful that you don’t exercise 1-2 hours before bed. Aerobic exercise gives you endorphins that can keep you awake. Exercise will also raise your body temperature and your heart rate. You sleep better when your body temperature and heart rate are lower.

Write down/talk out everything that is stressing you 

If your thoughts are going crazy and you can’t seem to turn off your brain, write things down! If you write down all the things you need to do, your worries, or your concerns it will help your mind be at ease.

Stay organized, delegate, and make small goals for the day to help you get everything done that you need to! 

How to have a better night’s sleep:

• Don’t take naps
• Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet
• Pay attention to what you eat/ drink, don’t eat too close to when you sleep
• Workout (not too close to when you sleep)
• Write down/ talk out everything that is stressing you 

For all other health concerns call (801) 229 2002 to see if we can help! 

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https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379