A good night sleep is just as important as regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Insomnia is a kind of torture, because while the world is fast asleep you’re up all alone – your mind buzzing with every random thought in the universe, and sometimes the thought will reach a standstill, and your mind goes blank.
Research shows that poor sleep has immediate negative effects on your hormones, exercise performance, and brain function.
If you want to optimize your health or lose weight, getting a good night sleep is one of the most important things you can do.
Here are the 5 evidence-based tips to sleep better at night:
1. Increase bright light exposure during the day
Natural sunlight or bright light during the day helps keep your circadian rhythm healthy. This improves daytime energy, as well as nighttime sleep quality and duration.
2. Reduce irregular or long daytime naps
Sleeping in the daytime can confuse your internal clock, meaning that you may struggle to sleep at night, longer naps can harm health and sleep quality.
3. Don’t eat late in the evening
Eating late at night may negatively affect sleep quality and the natural release of human growth hormones. In one study, a high carb meal eaten 4 hours before bed helped people fall sleep faster.
4. Exercise regularly — but not before bed
Exercise reduced time to fall asleep by 55%, total night wakefulness by 30%, and anxiety by 15% while increasing total sleep time by 18%. Although, daily exercise is key for a good night’s sleep, performing it too late in the day may cause sleep problems.
5. Don’t consume caffeine late in the day
When consumed late in the day, caffeine stimulates your nervous system and may stop your body from naturally relaxing at night.
