Sleep they say is “the mother of all medicine”. They can never be more true. Nothing, absolute nothing is more frustrating and energy sapping like not getting a good night rest. So you have worked hard in the day, running hither and thither, trying to make ends meet in this business of life. You need to learn how to get a healthy sound sleep.
The only thing that can ensure your fitness, both physically and mentally is a sound sleep. But you managed to not get that. After the twists and turns in the bed, counting the ceilings, you rise up, unrested, unenergized and spent, poised to face the day’s challenges.
Experts suggests an average person should sleep at least eight hours before his body is ready. Sleeping less will result in drowsiness, lack of concentration, miscalculations and a reduced ability to make astute decisions. It can also lead to weakness of the immune system and this could invite diseases.
To stay healthy you need to get ample sleep. It is when you are asleep your body puts things into other, metabolize antibodies, synthesize macromolecules needed for growth and to reset for optimum operations. If you have been getting less sleep or suffering from insomnia, there is good news. Now just how do you get a good night rest?
The Advantages Of Sound Sleep
We have highlighted some of the good things that come with sleeping well in our introduction but let us make it clear so you can be sure what you are getting when you sleep well. The advantages of getting a good night sleep include
1. Healthy body
2. Healthy mind
3. Ability to make sound decisions
4. Stronger immune system
5. Increased ability to multitask
6. Increased productivity
7. Increased proficiency
8. General Satisfaction with life
The list could go on
How To Get A Good Night Rest
The average time to sleep in a 24 hour day is eight hours. But some have trained themselves to sleep less.
Even so, if you are sleeping less, you should sleep well and get satisfaction from every second it lasts. To sleep soundly you will need to do the following
1. Get A Good Mattress
If you want a good night rest you should get a good mattress. A good mattress is one that is not strong yet not so soft that it days when you sleep on it. How can you sleep well when your mattress is as strong as concrete? And make sure, it is wide to allow your twisting and turning. If your mattress is narrow, change it.
2. A Well Ventilated Room
Make sure wherever you will be sleeping is well ventilated. It must have at least two windows and sufficient supply of fresh air. It’s good to use a fan or air conditioning system when sleeping but if the air is fresh, it’s better. It is natural and make you sleep better. Any natural thing should be encouraged, they are better than artificial things.
Besides the whirring of the fan or humming of the air conditioning system could tamper with the slumbers of light sleepers. It would, if it were me. Not getting enough ventilation in the room can lead to shallow breaths and irritation that would combine to reduce the value of sleep you can get
3. Should You Use Pillows?
The answer is yes and no. There is nothing wrong in using pillows and long as you are comfortable with it. Like your mattress you should be picky of your pillows. A good pillow should be soft and comfortable and doesn’t cause you a neck sprain
Not getting a good night rest and still waking up with a neck sprain is like adding insult to injury. Neck sprains ruins your day totally. They take the fun out of any activity you might have slated for the day and cause you more irritation than you can imagine.
4. Wear A P. J or A Nighty
Sweating during sleep can decrease the value of your sleep so all efforts to be taken to cut back on this. Wearing light clothing is a way of achieving this. Feeling hot (heat) will keep you awake and make you irritated. That’s one of the reasons you need to keep your room ventilated
Don’t wear jeans to sleep, relieve yourself of all the tight clothing. If you are a woman you should lose all the underwear, it is not only relieving, it can also help in preventing breast cancer. (I am talking about the bra. It’s shocking some people sleep wearing their bras)
So get a night gown or a pyjamas. Cultivate the habit of wearing them when you sleep and you will notice the quality of your sleep will improve.
5. Listen To Soft Music
This doesn’t help everyone. (I will just stay awake and sing along) but if it does help you, why not do it? If as a child you were sang lullabies, your brain will respond well to soft music as a signal to hibernate.
Make sure you choose soft music, one with a familiar lyrics or no lyrics at all. If it has a familiar lyrics which evoke wonderful memories you will smile as you fall asleep. And if it doesn’t have any lyrics or a few lyrics, you’ll not need to be distracted from sleeping. Jazz is very good for this purpose. You can also use soft blues and country music.
6. Take A Bath
Do you want to sleep soundly, then go ahead and take a bath. The water will sooth your body and give you a sense of calm. It will retain your body to optimum temperature and relax your muscles. After the bath just go on and fall into your bed. The result are astronomical.
7. Take A Glass Of Milk
This is recommended for people suffering from insomnia. Are you finding it difficult to sleep? Take a glass of warm milk. It would help your eyes close.
Now You Know
Now that you know all of these, try them. I bet you will find it easy to fall asleep and have a good nice sleep.
I am feeling sleepy already I think I have to…zzzzzzz
Shisdulo
