A healthy sleep pattern is essential for overall health, especially heart health. By being aware of how important sleep is for keeping your heart healthy and using techniques to get better sleep, you can lower your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health. Making sleep a priority is essential to heart health and living a longer, healthier life. It’s not only about feeling refreshed and focused. Use these suggestions to get improved sleeping habits and enjoy long-term heart health advantages.
1. Make a sleep schedule. A good sleep schedule requires consistency. Your body’s internal clock is regulated when you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This makes it simpler to go asleep and wake up naturally.
2. Establish a calming nighttime ritual.Before going to bed, try some relaxing activities to let your body know it’s time to relax. This could be doing light yoga, having a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to relaxing music. Stay clear of stimulating activities like strenuous exercise, action-packed films, and contentious conversations.
3. Make your sleeping space as comfortable as possible.Manage the temperature, light, and noise in your bedroom to create a sleep-friendly environment. To block out light, use blackout curtains or an eye mask. To block out distracting noises, use earplugs or a white noise machine. Aim for a comfortable and cool temperature of 60–67°F (15–19°C) in the room.
4. Minimise screen time.The hormone that controls sleep-wake cycles, melatonin, can be produced less effectively by your body when exposed to blue light from devices like computers, phones, tablets, and televisions. Try not to use any screens an hour or more before bed. If you must use electronics, think about using blue light-blocking glasses or filters.
5. Pay attention to what you consume.Your sleep can be greatly impacted by the foods you eat. Steer clear of heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol right before bed. Caffeine can interfere with sleep for up to eight hours and is present in coffee, tea, chocolate, and some drugs. Although alcohol may aid in your first sleep, it can also disrupt your sleep and cause you to wake up during the night.
6. Keep on doing your workouts.Frequent exercise can help you sleep better. Exercise lowers stress levels, increases physical exhaustion, and helps you better control your sleep-wake cycle. But stay away from intense workouts right before bed because they can be too stimulating. Every day, try to get in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, ideally first thing in the morning.