Have you ever wondered why you always get sleepy at almost the same time every night? This is because of your internal body clock.
If I were to explain the concept of a body clock to a child, I’d say that a person gets sleepy when his body is already tired and it’s telling him to rest. The body needs to take a break so that it can repair damaged cells as well as develop new ones.
When a person does not get enough sleep, the body is not given a chance to get a respite and to rejuvenate. With inadequate sleep, a person becomes easily tired and will not be able to function efficiently. The lack of sleep will also affect the person’s immune system, compromising it. When this happens, the body becomes weak and susceptible to illnesses and diseases.
That’s why it is very important to get a good night’s sleep.
For some people, going to sleep can be difficult, especially if they are used to sleeping very late at night. Difficulty in sleeping can also be caused by lengthy naps in the afternoon. For people with sleeping problems, there are medications that can help as well as natural ways that are easy to follow. The natural way does not cost extra money so they should be tried first. If they will not work, then the next best thing to do is to consult a doctor.
Tips to Get a Good Night’s Sleep the Natural Way
If you can help it, sleep at almost the same time every night, and strictly adhere to this schedule. The biological clock each of us has in our bodies (in our brain’s sleep center) needs to follow a schedule.
If our sleeping pattern is erratic, it confuses our brains’ sleep center which results in long, agitated nights, or worst, insomnia.
Prepare to go to bed by taking a hot bath or shower. Our bodies need a signal that we are getting ready to sleep, and one of the best ways to do it is to take a hot shower. At the end of the shower, our bodies will start cooling down and as the body cools down, it slowly goes into “sleep mode”.
Exercise at least 4 hours before your bedtime. Cardiovascular exercise is ideal in the evenings. For the exercise to have its desired effect, do it 4 hours before your bedtime. The time between your exercise session and your bedtime will allow your body to cool off , just in time for your evening bath or shower. Always have in mind that warm body temperature will make you restless the whole night and will make sleeping almost impossible.
Turn off all the lights in your bedroom, be it from the lamp shade, from your Kindle or iPad, from your mobile phone, from your computer, or from your TV. If you are curious why you need to be in total darkness when you sleep, the reason is that the artificial light that comes from these gadgets messes with your internal clock. Light also acts as a stimulant which inhibits the flow of melatonin – the body’s natural sleeping pills. Thus, don’t be afraid of the dark because only when the bedroom is dark will the body produce more melatonin; sleep will then come easily.
Take deep breathing exercises before you go to bed. Taking slow, deep breaths before going to bed will help soothe you into sleep.
Avoid caffeine loaded drinks (coffee and cola drinks) and food (chocolate) during the late afternoon onwards. Caffeine will keep you awake, so avoid them if it can be helped. Also, dinner should always be the lightest meal of the day, and it should be taken a few hours before bedtime. Avoid as much as possible spicy or heavy foods as these will keep you awake at night and can also cause indigestion and heartburn.
Lastly, drink a glass of lukewarm milk before going to bed. This works wonders in kids; and whatever age you are in right now, deep inside you’ll always be a kid, and this might just work for you … not unless you are lactose-intolerant.
