You’ve likely heard it over and over again or even said it yourself to someone – make sure you’re getting enough sleep at night. We all know it, yet getting enough sleep isn’t always the easiest task.
How important is sleeping in our daily lives? Well, chronic fatigue due to not enough sleep can lead to many serious physical and mental complications. When you’re sleep-deprived, your mind doesn’t function like it would with a good night’s rest. On the physical side, not catching enough z’s may put you at a higher risk for medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity.
Ready to get more sleep to work to the best of your abilities? Corporate Business Solutions has five sleep tips that will help you wake up refreshed in the morning.
Set Yourself Boundaries
A significant contributor to poor sleep is not taking a break from work. If you’re waking up thinking about work and crawling into bed, and finishing sending an email, it makes it difficult to turn your mind off so you can sleep.
Your body needs time to relax and unwind. That means no work. So, do yourself a favor and set some boundaries. After a certain hour, disconnect from work so you can focus on yourself.
Have a Regular Sleeping Schedule
Our bodies love a rhythm. We have what’s called our circadian rhythm, which is the physical, mental, and behavioral changes that occur in a 24-hour cycle. Sleeping at night and awake during the day is an example of your circadian rhythm.
Having a regular sleeping schedule helps your circadian rhythm and gets your body (and mind) into a good sleeping routine. So, if you like going to bed at a particular hour, try to do that every evening.
Keep Distractions Away
Although we like to think otherwise, watching television or browsing through our phones while in bed won’t help put you to sleep. Having too many distractions in your bedroom will only make it more difficult for you to fall asleep.
Keep your bedroom peaceful and relaxing by getting rid of distractions. If your phone is an issue, charge it in a different room. Remember, your bedroom is usually meant for only a few activities, and sleeping is one of them.
Limit Caffeine
If there is any tip that could be the hardest to implement, it is limiting your caffeine. If you’re always busy, chances are you love your hot cup of coffee to give you a little boost.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with having a cup or two in the day. When it does become an issue, though, it is when you’re drinking it later on and closer to the evening. The caffeine is meant to keep you awake, which is counterproductive if you want to head to bed soon.
Speak to Your Doctor
If you still struggle to fall asleep and get a good night’s rest after trying everything out there, it may be time to speak to your doctor. Constant exhaustion and continuous restless nights could be a sign of something medically (both physically and mentally) that needs addressing.
Try implementing the tips above into your daily routine. Sometimes even the smallest of habit changes can have the biggest effect on our sleep.