8 healthy sleep habits

A number of studies suggest that people who have trouble sleeping on a regular basis may be more likely to have cancer and pass away from it. Examples include shift work nurses who have spent years adjusting their sleep habits to fit work shifts, and long haul flight attendants who frequently sleep in different time zones at different times of the day.

1. Set a consistent sleep schedule

Schedule your bedtime and wake up times simultaneously.

2. Create regular bedtime rituals

Before going to bed, do the same thing each night take a warm bath, read a book, or listen to music. In order to help your body recognize when it is time to sleep, your pre sleep activities should be soothing.

3. Get regular exercise

However, it may be difficult to fall asleep if you exercise at least two hours before bed. But exercise at least two hours before going to bed, or you might have trouble falling asleep.

4. Keep a healthy diet

Eating right before bed can interfere with your ability to fall and remain asleep. However, having a modest food right before bed appears to help you go asleep.

5. Limit caffeine and avoid nicotine

Nicotine and caffeine are stimulants that cause sleep disturbances. Frequent users may also have insomnia at night due to withdrawal symptoms. Drink no more than two servings of caffeine a day and avoid alcohol after midday. When withdrawal symptoms go away, smokers who quit often have better sleep and can fall asleep more quickly.

6. Avoid alcohol

Alcohol decreases brain activity and acts as a sedative. Although it might make you feel sleepy, it disrupts your sleep at night, waking you up a lot and giving you nightmares. Avoiding alcohol for four to six hours before bed is recommended.

7. Keep naps short

You accumulate “sleep debt” during the day, which facilitates falling asleep at night. Taking naps during the day settles that debt and disrupts your sleep at night. If you must snooze, try to keep it to no more than half an hour.

8. Use your bedroom for sleep only

Never watch TV or eat in bed. Avoid using devices in bed, including laptops, phones, and tablets. Ensure that your bedroom is cold, quiet, and dark. If you utilize it exclusively for sleeping, you’ll start to link your bedroom more with resting than with tension or activity