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If your sleep schedule has been disrupted, you should try and fix it as quickly as possible. If you do not know where to start, there are several good tips and tricks that you can try.
Have A Schedule And Stick To It
Your subconscious can be trained but you will need to have a set schedule to do this. You should choose a time that you go to bed and try to stick to it as much as possible. It sounds hard, however, this does not mean that you will not be able to go out on the weekends or occasionally sleep in. You can do this, but you should not overdo it. If you have a disruption of more than an hour in either direction, you will be back to square one. This means that you should not go to bed at 2 am every Saturday and think that you will be back to your usual schedule the next day.
Take Things Slow
If your sleep cycle has been seriously disrupted, you need to rectify it in gradual steps. Instead of adjusting your schedule by hours, you need to do this in half-hour intervals. If you are a night owl who is often up into the early hours, you need to go to sleep 30 minutes earlier for a few days. You can then go to sleep half an hour earlier until you reach the time you want.
Take Some Time To Unwind
Many studies have found prolonged exposure to blue light will negatively impact your ability to fall asleep. Blue light comes from many sources, but the most common is your TV and your phone. This is why you should stay away from electronics for an hour or two before you go to sleep. Blue light impairs your body’s ability to release melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone.
Control Your Lighting
To create a healthy sleep schedule, you should mimic sunrise and sunset. Your internal clock naturally follows the cycles of dark and light that the world goes through. To improve your sleep schedule, you should expose your body to as much natural sunlight as possible in the morning and during the day.
When you are ready for bed, you will need to dim the light. It is recommended that you invest in dimmable light switches and smart light bulbs. You can also use low wattage bulbs in your bedroom to provide the dim lighting you need to set your sleep schedule. During the night, your bedroom should be as dark as possible.
Healthy Food Choices
A lot of people do not realize that digestion and metabolism play a role in sleep. Before going to bed, you need to avoid large meals to ensure your metabolism is not boosted as you are trying to sleep. You should try eating dinner at least two hours before you go to bed. Some people do find that a light snack helps them sleep.
Foods that contain carbs such as fruit, warm milk and crackers can help you drift off to sleep. The sugars in these foods will boost the serotonin in the brain helping your drift to sleep. However, sugary foods such as fruit juice and candy will disrupt your ability to sleep. The spike in energy will be followed by a crash that puts you to sleep, but you are likely to wake in the middle of the night.
Make Your Room A Relaxation Zone
Your bedroom should be a place of relaxation where you can wind down from the day. You should also use the room specifically for sleeping. Make the room conducive to sleep, invest in a new mattress, and read these reviews to find the best mattress for a restful sleep. Take some time to declutter as well.
Do Not Get Discouraged
Many people have trouble sleeping, so you are definitely not alone if you struggle. The tips provided in this article are meant to help you get your sleep schedule on track. There is an old saying that it takes 21 days to break or form a habit, so make sure you are consistent in your efforts.
As you know, this is a fitness-related website, but sleep is a crucial aspect of growth and recovery. A solid sleep schedule will positively correlate to more productivity and better workouts in the gym. Lastly, if your troubles with sleep persist, I suggest seeing your physician for further analysis.
