Sleep is essential for our nervous system to function properly, both physically as well as mentally. Sleep is equally important to strengthen the immune system and fight diseases.
Inadequate sleep can have adverse effect on our health.
After a good night sleep, our body gets relaxed and rejuvenated. After a day long hectic schedule, you can feel refreshed and revitalized, only when you get a good night’s sleep. A disturbed sleep brings down your energy level and you become irritated and stressed.
Our brain remains active when we sleep. The process of sleeping and waking up is controlled by our brain by going through chemical changes in the brain and the blood. So to ensure better sleep, it is necessary to balance these chemical changes. These chemical changes can be balanced by certain healthy habits, healthy food and drinks, and medicines.
If you can’t sleep well at night, and wake up quite often, find difficulty in falling asleep, and experience fatigue when you wake up, try the following solutions:
• Avoid heavy snacks before going to bed. They will raise your blood sugar level and hamper sleep. Later when your blood sugar level will drop considerably, it will hinder your sleep by not letting you fall back asleep.
• Even if you have extra time at hand, avoid taking a nap during the day. It will change your sleep pattern. If you are too tired to resist, take a short nap not more than ½ hour.
• Try keeping the room as dark as possible. Even small amount of light can disrupt your sleep. But as soon as you wake up, you must expose yourself to sunlight. Your body will start following this pattern.
• Avoid overdose of alcohol and caffeine. Caffeine metabolizes long after its consumption. It will interfere with the pattern of your sleep. Alcohol consumption before going to bed may make you feel drowsy but its effect is short lived. It basically dehydrates the body and you will have a very disturbed sleep. Also avoid diet pills that contain caffeine.
• Avoid smoking. It contains nicotine which is a stimulant and will not allow you to sleep properly.
• Deficiency of iron is another cause of disturbed sleep. Make sure, especially if you are a women that your body gets the required quantity of iron that it needs.
• Try to do activities that you enjoy before going to bed.
• Try to go early to bed and wake up early. Body will get used to this routine and you will be able to sleep better.
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