To you, sleep is elusive not love. About half of Singaporeans struggle to get some sleep every day. We all know the importance of good sleep for better health, mood and productivity. If you are the type that struggles going to sleep, everything is done from hot milk, warm bath, counting sheep and many more. These things are meant to help you drift and eventually bring you to slumber but unfortunately, these tactics are passé.
You are not alone and you should not fret. According to Great British Sleep Survey, women suffer lack of sleep three times than men. Experts highly recommend that adults sleep for about 7-8 hours every night. Sometimes this is not the case. In fact, many people have sleeping pills prescription.
You already know how lack of sleep affects your health from decreased cognitive function to reduced concentration and attention. It is time that you employ some tactics to help you get through the night:
- Easy on the caffeine: If coffee is already deeply rooted in your system, it is time that you go easy on them. You should know that caffeine has an impact on reducing your sleep quality. Research said that it will take ten hours for the body to completely remove the caffeine. Instead of drinking coffee, why not drink more water, fruit juices or teas? That’ll do well for your body.
- Workout: There was a study conducted by the Northwestern University last 2010 revealing that people who exercised regularly testified that the quality of their sleep improved. Exercise is the most effective way to reduce stress thereby enabling you to sleep deeply. 20 to 30 minutes of exercise every week can make a difference.
- Stick to your schedule: Whether it is the weekend or weekdays, you should stick with the same sleeping schedule. It is important that you keep your body clock on time. This is your natural way of promoting sleep. If you want nap, limit it to at least twenty minutes.
- Eat right: There are particular foods that can promote good sleep. You can consider chicken, tofu, cheese, nuts, eggs and milk as it can release melatonin and serotonin in your system.
- Stop trying: Sometimes, it is good to stop trying and let nature takes its course. Overly trying will put stress to the body. The important thing here is to let take come and not constantly chase after it. You can however commit to doing small actions everyday so sleep will come.
Hopefully the tips mentioned above can help you drift and eventually go to slumber. Share it to other friends who are suffering from the same dilemma too.
