Ever pull an all-nighter? Brain racing, too much caffeine, or perhaps other interesting events keeping you up at night? The feeling of tiredness that accompanies a night of little or no sleep can be agonizing.
We all know a good night’s sleep is essential to feeling alert and awake, but it is crucial for health and happiness. A positive mood, including friendliness, elation, self-esteem, and empathy, directly correlates to healthy sleep habits. Further, sleep is critical to sustaining mental health, with lack of sleep found to be physically damaging to our brains. Research shows that a sleep-deprived brain has to work much harder to function, with both short-term and long-term memory effects. Without proper rest, the ever-working, short-term memory is deeply burdened with the smaller details, while consolidation of events into our long-term memory is severely restricted.
Proper sleep increases our ability to function and concentrate. Even slight sleep cycle disturbances distort our ability to pay attention, exhaust our sensory neurons, and make accomplishing simple tasks, such as communication, challenging. Our ability to plan and coordinate is compromised, and lack of proper sleep is linked to higher inclinations to take risks. If chronic, unhealthy sleep patterns persist, the human body will physically destroy brain cells (and that physiological process can manifest into mental health issues such as mania or a host of other illnesses).
Getting proper sleep, without question, is essential in all aspects of our lives. According to BusinessInsider.com, sufficient sleep will allow us to be
happier, have better sex, build muscles more easily, learn better, have healthier skin, and be a better driver, just to name a few.
Accordingly, below please find a few tips to make us all better in bed: [more tips]
Create comfort you enjoy: Invest in a stellar mattress, great pillows, and finer bed linens. We spend a lot of time in our beds. Your health and happiness are worth the investments!
Be afraid of the light: Smartphones, tablets, and laptops emit blue light, which is a deterrent to sleep. The light from electronic devices interferes with circadian rhythm and stimulates the nervous system, making it difficult to fall asleep. Grab the alarm clock you put away a few years back, or buy a new one, and avoid using your smartphone as your waking device.
Do not bring work or arguments to bed with you: Enough said.
Make your bedroom conducive to sleep: According to sleep experts, a cool, dark room will yield the greatest night’s rest. Turn your clock so you forget about time… and wear some socks… to increase the zzzz’s.
Practice simple relaxation techniques: Once you are in bed, concentrate on breathing slowly and deeply. Gradually relax your muscles one at a time and focus on going to a quiet, relaxed place. Try not to think too hard about falling asleep as this may make it harder to fall asleep as it engages your brain.
Make it routine: If you have a continuous bed time and wake time, your body will naturally sync to this cycle. Practicing the same bedtime routine and activities every night will allow your body to understand that sleep is coming.
“Sleep is the best meditation.”
Dalai Lama
“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
Benjamin Franklin