If you want to see an increase to your energy levels during the day, then there is nothing more important than getting a good night’s sleep. Sleep is what will allow you to recharge your batteries by cementing what you’ve learned during the day, by replenishing your stores of neurotransmitters and hormones and by undoing the cumulative damage that the day inflicts.
Unfortunately, most of us do not give our sleep the respect it deserves and as a result, we aren’t able to perform at our very best. Read on and we’ll look at some of the things you can do to change that.
Get Your Temperature Right
Temperature is highly important for your body’s sleep wake cycle and can impact on you in numerous different ways. Managing this is difficult however, which is why we will very often wake up feeling too hot in the night, or feel freezing first thing in the morning.
One thing to do to fix your temperature right away, is to take a warm bath right before bed. Not only will this help you regulate your temperature by keeping your body warmer but it will also encourage your muscles to relax, which can really help to improve your sleep.
Another tip is to try and keep your room slightly cool. This is the temperature our body is designed to sleep in and it will help you to maintain your body temperature better throughout the night.
Sleep in a Hammock
This isn’t for everyone but it sure is worth a try! Some people claim that sleeping in a hammock more closely resembles the way we would have slept during our evolutionary history. This first of all has the advantage of taking the weight off of our back and neck and allowing us to feel almost ‘weightless’. Meanwhile some say that it more closely resembles the way we would have slept in the wild – and thus is more likely to provide a sounder night’s sleep.
Try it for yourself and see what you think!
Take Some Time Out
Another tips is simply to take a time out before hitting the sack. This is surprisingly important – have a breather before bed can help you to not only calm your mind, but also take a crucial break from things like laptop screens, phones and other artificial light sources. Combined, these changes prevent their light from making you feel artificially awake and stimulating the release of cortisol. That in turn means you can sleep much more deeply.
Get Outside
Simply getting outside more during the day will do wonders for your health – especially if you are getting direct sunlight, exercise and fresh air. This will help to set your circadian rhythms (body clock) while also providing you with vitamin D (which regulates hormones) and improving your circulation (via the fresh air). Exercise of course helps you to tire yourself out more, which also results in a sounder night when you get there.
