10 Ways to Improve Your Sleeping Habit and Sleep Longer

10 Ways to Improve Your Sleeping Habit and Sleep LongerSleeping well is an important factor in maintaining optimal health. Lack of sleep can cause various health issues like depression, obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, and diabetes. Consider taking the following steps to help yourself sleep longer and feel better, waking more refreshed and ready to take charge of your day.

1. Decrease Your Exposure to Blue Light at Night

Exposure to blue light from electronic devices like PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones can negatively affect your circadian rhythm. Your brain will think it is still daytime and that will decrease the production of the hormone melatonin. Download apps that block blue light on mobile devices and don’t use these electronic devices for at least 30 minutes to an hour before sleeping.

2. Don’t Nap for Long Times During the Day

Taking a twenty-minute power nap is fine, but longer naps can disrupt your normal nighttime sleeping patterns. Those power naps can improve brain function during the day. Just don’t sleep too long or you won’t sleep as long at night.

3. Don’t Drink Caffeinated Drinks Before Sleeping

When you drink caffeinated drinks, the caffeine can stay in your blood for up to 8 hours. So, if you want to sleep longer, make sure you don’t drink anything with caffeine in the late afternoon or evening hours.

4. Start Taking Melatonin Supplements Before Bed

Melatonin is a hormone that your brain releases to help your body fall asleep and stay asleep longer. Taking a melatonin supplement before bed can help regulate your sleep patterns so that your natural circadian rhythm normalizes.

5. Keep Your Sleep Patterns Consistent

When your circadian rhythm is normal, you can improve your sleep quality and stay asleep longer. You can help normalize this pattern, by keeping your sleep patterns consistent.

6. Diffuse Essential Oils

Essential oils like lavender, clove, and patchouli can help improve your sleep patterns and help you sleep longer. These oils have a calming effect when applied topically or diffused with a diffuser.

7. Improve Your Sleeping Environment

Make sure that your bedroom has a calming décor such as pastel paint colors rather than bright shades. Reduce distractions from external noises and keep exposure to lights–such as night lights–to a minimum.

8. Don’t Snack Late

You may crave late night snacks before bed. However, eating late can impede the normal production of melatonin and hinder you from sleeping longer.

9. Stay Calm

Try relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation right before going to bed. Visualize relaxed sleep or read a book. Do whatever makes you calm so you can sleep longer.

10. Don’t Drink Before Bed

Drinking enough water during the day is important to keep hydrated and healthy. However, if you drink too much before going to bed, you’ll likely wake up to go to the bathroom. That can definitely impede your ability to sleep longer.

 

Don’t let lack of sleep ruin your chances of having a more productive day and living a healthier life. Implement these ten tips into your nightly routine to help you sleep longer.

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