Sleep Your Way for a Healthy Lifestyle

Hey, “sleepy head,” seems like someone didn’t catch enough Zzz’s last night. Uh, did you? You are probably trying to read this because you are facing some sleep issues lately or maybe want to know some of the best ways to get some healthy sleep. Good on you! Very few actually care about a healthy lifestyle; all blame goes to our busy lifestyle; what say?

Skipping out on sleep can seriously mess with your productivity, ramp up your stress levels, and even weaken your immune system. To overcome these negative consequences, you must prioritize restful, rejuvenating good night’s sleep overnight. So, if you’re ready to unlock your best self and achieve success in every area of your life, it’s time to prioritize sleep. I am going to take this whole write-up around the same, so let’s roll on.

Sleep is The Key to a Joyous Life!

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook the importance of good sleep. Indeed it is! Between work, social obligations, and the constant stimulation of technology, there aren’t enough hours to complete everything. However, the truth is that prioritizing sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health and well-being.

From improved cognitive function and better physical health to reduced stress and a stronger immune system, a night of quality sleep has countless benefits that can revolutionize your life. So if you’re ready to unlock your best self and achieve success in every area of your life, it’s time to make “sleep” your top priority. And I will tell you how to do that!

Before I talk about how to get better sleep, let’s understand…

The Sleep Science

Not so popular fact, but if we nod off for 7 to 9 hours each night, we spend a whopping one-third of our lives asleep. Nothing to be ashamed of; this “sleeping” investment is justifiable since many critical biological processes occur while we sleep. Sleep is an essential nervous system function, making bedtime a basic survival need for almost all mammals and humans. And that’s why living with sleep deprivation is only sustainable for the short run. Here’s what happens during your sleep;

• Maintenance of all vital functions and repairs of the wear and tear to DNA, cells, tissues, and organs in the body
• Regulation of metabolism, detoxification (toxin removal) and energy restoration
• Endocrine homeostasis by the endocrine system
• Muscle growth and protein synthesis
• Synaptic plasticity, learning, memory consolidation and neuroprotective functions
• Regulation of blood sugar and cholesterol
• Immune system support, functioning and nourishment (to defend against pathogens)

How Much Sleep is Too Much Sleep?

Frankly, the amount of sleep needed generally depends on your age!  You may have observed that you can get by with less sleep than you used to throughout the years! But it doesn’t indicate that getting a decent night’s sleep gets less important as we age. Different age groups practice different sleeping durations, and below is something that explains how much sleep is ideal for each age group. (according to the National Sleep Foundation).

Newborns (0–3 months): 14 to 17 hours

Infants (4–11 months): 12–16 hours

Toddlers (1–2 years): 11–14 hours

Preschoolers (3–5 years): 10–13 hours

Children (6–12 years): 9–12 hours

Teenagers (13–17 years): 8–10 hours

Adults (18+): 7-8 hours

How to Get a Shot of Healthy Sleep?

Unfortunately, we can’t just press a button to conk out and Zzz. Even though some people are simply blessed with the ability to nod off as soon as their head hits the pillow, most of us have a personal wind-down routine that we need to adore before going to bed. 

Sleeping well is a skill, and I am here to help you decode your physical patterns, change your behaviour, develop a healthy lifestyle, and wake up refreshed. And, if getting at least seven hours per night regularly has been a struggle for you, there are several practices you can try to catch the right amount of Zzz’s for your needs:

Understand your personal wind-down time

Frankly, it takes the human mind a while (at least an hour—probably two) to unwind. Give yourself at least an hour to figure out how long it takes to laze before bed. Suppose you’d like to sleep around 10 p.m., start winding down around 8:30. Do relaxing things that soothe you before you actually go off to bed. And when it comes to going to bed, check in with yourself if you are still a bit energized. This way, you can understand how much wind-down time you need before bed.

Unwinding tips before bed

Practising specific winding-down ways to make yourself comfortable to sleep is important, and you can do that in many ways. Once you’ve figured out the exact wind-down time you should give yourself before heading to bed, focus on a few tranquillizing activities or self-care routines, like:

Reading, Writing or Journaling

Reading a good novel before bed is the best thing to do for winding down. You can read anything that fancies you but choose something that’s not too stimulating and, ideally, isn’t on a screen. And, if your favourite text exists online, prefer using blue-light blockers or glasses for this screen come nighttime reading. 

You can make the best use of your ink and write whatever you want in your “Dear Diary,” This sounds more like high school crap, but it really helps you unwind and eases you to sleep. I recommend avoiding technology as much as possible in your wind-down time.

A Soothing Bath and Aromatherapy

Soaking yourself in the warm water tub with a few drops of lavender essential oil before hitting the bed is the best way to get warmth. It will help in muscle relaxation, slowing the heart rate and ultimately preparing you to settle in. You can always take this to the next level by trying aromatherapy, which requires adding your choice of relaxing oil to the diffuser; you can even dab a few drops on your wrist, neck, and both sides of the pillow.

This really takes you to tranquillity and helps you unwind. Even research says smelling lavender twice a week soothes the nervous system and improves sleep quality for those who struggle with insomnia.

Sleep is a Luxury, and Yoga is the Key!

Yes, this is new, but a simple sleep yoga sequence can help you with a complete shut-eye! The typical yoga poses you can practice before bed are;

• Basic Yoga breath
• Cat and cow pose
• Downward dog pose
• Child’s pose

Winding Down

These methods of winding down before bed will help youtube the sleep you have been missing out on so far. Do write to us if you want any particular information about sleep and ideal lifestyle practices. Give your body and eyes some rest, and get the good night’s sleep you deserve. Happy dreaming; see you next morning!