To live better you need to sleep more: 10 tips for incorporating sleep hygiene into your routine

Practices such as reducing lighting and avoiding alcohol consumption can help your body and mind prepare for a good night’s sleep, resulting in better physical and mental health.

Although the sleep Although it is part of a natural process, an increasing number of people find it difficult to allow their bodies and minds to rest adequately. Meanwhile, science has shown that sleep deprivation is not limited to lack of energy: it also impairs the immune system, hormonal system and mental health. In this context, “sleep hygiene” emerges, a set of simple practices that help the body and mind prepare for a good night’s rest.

Although sleep hygiene is not considered a definitive solution for cases of insomnia Chronic – a condition in which symptoms occur at least three times a week – can be an important complementary measure to improve sleep quality and promote overall well-being. “Sleep is our main means of internal organization. To live better, we need to sleep more,” said biomedical doctor Monica Andersen at Health and Wellness Summitpromoted by Estadao this Sunday, 13.

To this end, Mônica, director of the Sleep Institute, has presented a series of measures to help improve rest and, consequently, health:

1. Reduce light, especially artificial light

According to biomedicine, lighting in the sleeping environment plays a crucial role in the quality of sleep, mainly due to its interference in the release of melatonin, the so-called “dark hormone”. Melatonin is important for regulating our ‘sleep-wake’ cycle, it is released naturally when we find ourselves in dark environments, warning us that it is time to ‘switch off’. Precisely for this reason it is advisable to avoid light, especially artificial light, emitted by cell phone, TV and computer screens, as it ends up interrupting the release of this hormone.

The director of the Sleep Institute also emphasizes that the issue of lighting should be considered not only when we go to bed, but also before going to bed. According to her, the ideal is that, two or three hours before going to bed, the lights are dimmed, allowing the body to gradually slow down.

«This doesn’t mean that it’s necessary to have dinner by candlelight every day, but it’s not necessary to turn on all the lights in the house either. Reducing the use of screens before going to bed is good, but if the person has the habit of watching television at this time, it is important to create an environment with little light, for example using lamps or lamps”, advises Monica.

2. Establish regular hours

Maintaining a regular sleep and wake up routine is important to train your body to have a healthy sleep cycle. The body clock adjusts when we maintain a consistent schedule, which makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up more naturally. In other words, the best solution is to make appointments with our body, preferably by appointment. “There’s no point in having a super comfortable bed, using a ‘Nasa’ pillow and air conditioning, if you sleep at a specific time every day. Our brains get confused, which interferes with our sleep,” Monica said .

3. Create a supportive environment

The environment where we sleep must be quiet and comfortable. But high-tech sheets, pillows and mattresses are not the main agents in this task. The goal should be to create an environment conducive to relaxation, without distractions, tense conversations, or worries brought to bed. In other words, bedtime should not be the time for DR (relationship discussions). “Arguments and personal problems increase cortisol, the stress hormone, which interrupts the release of substances that promote sleep,” warns Monica.

4. Avoid the use of electronic devices

Using electronic devices before going to bed is a common practice, but it is harmful to sleep. The expert explains that interactive activity and exposure to blue light keep the brain in a state of alert, making the relaxation process difficult. “No one spends just six minutes on the Internet. Before we know it, we’re surfing for hours, stimulating our brains and postponing rest.”

5. Reduce intense physical activity at night

While exercise is beneficial, doing it before bed can harm your sleep. This is not a rule, after all sleep is an individual matter and works differently for each person. But, in most cases, it is normal for sleep to be compromised when the most intense training is done close to rest time.

“Intense exercise increases body temperature and releases substances that stimulate attention. To avoid this impact, it is recommended to carry out physical activity at least three hours before bedtime,” Monica said.

6. Pay attention to night eating

What we eat at night can directly influence the quality of our sleep. Andersen suggests avoiding heavy meals, such as feijoadas or very fatty foods, right before bed. “Light foods, such as salads and broths, are the best options for dinner. Heavy foods can cause digestive difficulties, reflux. All of this can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep,” says the director of the Sleep Institute.

7. Write down your concerns

Bringing worries to bed is one of the biggest enemies of sleep. Andersen recommends a simple technique to “slow down” the mind: writing down your worries in a notebook. This can help ease the mental load by reducing cortisol levels and allows the brain to relax more easily.

8. Limit alcohol and caffeine consumption

The consumption of alcoholic beverages and caffeine can interfere with the quality of sleep, especially in the moments before the moment of ‘switch off’. Although alcohol initially seems relaxing, it actually disturbs sleep patterns, causing the person to wake up more often during the night. Caffeine can keep the nervous system on high alert, making it difficult for the body to get that much-needed rest.

9. The bed is not a place to work or watch television

It is important to condition the brain to associate bed with rest and sleep. Andersen stresses that the bed should not be used for other activities, such as eating, working or watching television. “The bed should be a space for sleep and intimate moments. The more we use it for other things, the more difficult it becomes for the body to understand that it is time to rest,” he explains.

10. Create “rituals”

Just as darkness signals the body that it is time to rest, pre-sleep rituals can also serve this function. Rituals are individual and may include, for example, meditation, reading, playing the guitar, drinking a cup of tea or saying a prayer.

“When we are children, there are a series of rituals that our parents follow that prepare the body for sleep, but this is lost throughout life,” Monica says. “My grandmother, for example, took the rosary before going to sleep. Not that people really need to do that, but in her case it worked. Little by little, her brain began to understand that this was a moment calming, a cue for sleep to come.”

“Health and Wellness Summit – Has the Future of Health Arrived? It will take place today and tomorrow, the 14th, from 8:00 to 18:30, in the JK Iguatemi Shopping Event Space, in Sao Paulo. To register, go to this connection.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.