The Magic of Sleeping. How to make it happen?

I recall that the morning after a late-night New Year's Eve celebration, I woke up very, very late and felt dizzy (i dont drink, so it was not a hangover). Unfortunately, I had to fly the following day, and the entire time, I was stumbling and mumbling. As I generally get up early, this was a significant disruption. The effect dissipated soon as my mum ensured that I was in bed on time and took good rest. 

If you don't get enough sleep, you appear worn out. Sleep is not something to be tampered with frequently, as it creates a kind of sleep debt. Chronic insomnia will make you ill. 

Yes, physically ill.

I have spoken about the benefits of sleep in the previous post. On an average, an adult needs 7-9 hrs of sleep. Kids need 9-13 hours and infants need 12-15 hours of sleep everyday.

Here are a few tips and tricks to make your slumber truly magical.

1.  Have a regular sleep time every day- It helps your body to set according to your circadian cycle (aka body clock). Different systems of the body follow circadian rhythms that are synchronized with a master clock in the brain.

2.  Lighting - Keep the lights dim in the bedroom as bright lights disrupt the sleep-wake cycle of the body.

3.  Meal - Eat a light meal at least 2-3 hours before going to bed. You can even have a stroll after it. Heavy meals many result in acidity and 

4.  Avoid naps in the evening- Do not nap close to bedtime. Keep them short and early in the afternoon.

5.  Exercise- Regular physical activity has proven to improve the quality of sleep. So, exercise every day for deep sleep at night.

6.  Stimulants- Avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol near bedtime. Smoking is a no-no.

7.   Remove distractions- Avoid all types of electronic devices at least 1 hour before bedtime. Some electronics emit a blue light which can delay the onset of sleep. You can journal or read a book instead. You can even engage in conversations with your family members, but avoid touchy topics which may cause undue stress.

8.   Meditate- Meditation calms the mind and hence will help you relax and sleep well. You can start by just taking a few deep breaths before lying down.

9.   Don't force sleep- If you are restless in bed despite the effort then get up, and move around the house, but don't switch on a device. Create realxing bed -time routines.

10.  Take a warm bath-  A warm bath helps to relax your stiff muscles and hence , help you sleep

11.  Try aromatherapy- Some scents have a soothing and calming effect and will help you goto sleep. Also candles give low lights which is easy on the eyes.

12.  Treat the underlying issues- If you are overweight, then you should work to bring it down, a diabetic should control his sugar and person suffering from chronic pain should work to reduce it. If medications are recommended they should be taken on time. Treat the illness, so that it doesn't affect your sleep.

 

Happy World Sleep day '2023