7 Surefire Ways to Change Your Sleep Schedule
Nothing can substitute for a good night’s sleep. Just read on this article and you will get to know how to reboot your sleeping habits, because you deserve to enjoy a good night’s sleep. There are many situations that can change your sleep cycle. Traveling or shift work can easily upset your sleep. This is because your body gets accustomed to starting the day at a specific time as well as ending it at the certain time. Doctors say that the sleep schedule is one of the most important rhythms in the human body. So you don’t have to take sleep problems lying down. Fortunately, there are some effective ways to reset your sleep cycle.
1 Have a light dinner
Breakfast like a king, lunch like a princess and dine like a pauper. This saying has a deep and wise meaning. You should time your meals, because a full stomach can be the reason of insomnia. A light snack at bedtime can promote sleep, but too much food can cause digestive discomfort that leads to wakefulness. Moreover, you’d better forget about caffeine in the evenings. Any food or beverage that contains caffeine can disturb sleep, especially if you are sensitive to caffeine.
2 Change it gradually
It is important to change your sleep cycle gradually in order to avoid stress and different sleep disorders. The most suitable way is to do it in 15-minute increments. If you have to wake up earlier, then try to fall asleep 15 minutes earlier each evening. It may be difficult to fall asleep at once, take some relaxing procedures like a bubble bath. I think a few nights will be enough to feel comfortable with the new schedule.
3 Prepare your room for the sleep
People’s body is influenced by light and darkness. Doctors strongly recommend darkening the bedroom prior to sleep. The morning light will signify to your body that a new day is starting. Start from dimming the lights in the evening. Switch off laptops, TVs and other sources of light in your bedroom. These gadgets emit blue light, which like any light can cause wakefulness at night and disrupt the body’s natural inclination to sleep. Moreover, close your curtains and blinds at night, so you will be able to sleep calmly.
Read also – 10 Tips on How to Stay Awake When You’re Feeling Sleepy and Tired
4 Try to be consistent
Consistency is the best way to change your sleep cycle. You should stick to the same sleep and wake up time schedule. Don’t forget about weekends! It is allowed to have an extra hour on Saturday, but you are to be back on track for Sunday. It will help your body get used to this new routine.
5 Don’t torture yourself
If you have done all possible things to fall asleep and you are still tossing and turning, you should get up and start doing things you haven’t time to do during the day. Don’t torture yourself! Do something low-stress and boring until you discover that you are tired. As a rule, 30 minutes of boring activities will be enough to bring you back to bed again.
6 Follow good sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene is as important as your casual personal hygiene. The main aim of good sleep hygiene is to get your body ready for a night’s sleep. It is necessary to keep the bedroom dark, quiet and cool to facilitate your body’s ability to relax and wind down. Furthermore, you should have only a light dinner during the bed-time and avoid drinking coffee before going to bed. You’d better do some stress-free and relaxing activities.
7 Stop hitting the snooze button
I think everyone knows about those tempting five extra minutes in the morning. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help, but can turn these five extra minutes into ten or half an hour and you will realize that you are late. The morning that starts from stress isn’t a good beginning of your day. There are many ways to stop hitting the snooze button. The most effective is to put an alarm clock on the other side of the room. You have no choice but to answer it and before you find it, you will be out of bed.
A good night’s sleep is an indispensable part of your life. It can cure, refresh and restore your body. I hope these tips will help you change your sleep schedule. Have you ever had problems with your sleep cycle? How did you handle the issue?