My part of town has been hit with the heat the last few days, and I love it. However, if I can, I’d like to bring up one little complaint: it’s making it really difficult to sleep.
This is normal for me. It takes me a little while to a) adapt to the heat when I’m trying to sleep, and b) get used to the white noise of my air conditioning unit running. You see, I’m one of those sleepers who needs total darkness and quietness to hit the right stride; maybe you can relate.
Helpful Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep
The past few days I’ve been a zombie. I’m tired, getting a little more stressed than normal, and am feeling the effects of a lack of sleep. And although I’ll soon adapt to the new conditions, I understand that you might also be struggling with sleep and have been for quite some time. Therefore, I’d like to share some helpful tips for a better night’s sleep so you can get more out of your day.
1. Deal with external factors: With the change in temperature, you may have to deal with the lesser of two evils for the time being. It might be rolling around sweating in the heat for a few nights until your body has adapted, or could mean staying awake to the buzz of an air conditioning unit. Do whatever works better for you in the long term—and if neither of these things pose problems, even better!
2. Set a schedule: The best way to get a good night’s sleep and feel great during the day is to set a sleep schedule and stick to it. Your body will learn when it’s time to sleep and time to wake, and though there might be a few rough wake-ups at first, soon the rhythm will fall into place.
3. Ditch the screens: Keep your eyes away from your smartphone, computer, tablet, or television an hour before going to bed—the bright lights from these devices can stimulate your brain. Instead of looking at a screen, take the time to relax and sit outside, take a bath, do some reading, or meditate.
4. Switch your setup: If your spouse has been keeping you awake for months or even years from snoring, rolling around, or through some other disturbance, then sleeping in separate beds might be worth considering.
Getting a good night’s sleep can play a big role in your stress level and cardiovascular health, and can provide an extra bounce in your step every day. Improve your resting hours by trying these worthwhile adjustments.