How to improve your night's sleep

pic credit to today.com

According to a scientific report published in the last quarter of 2016, sleep deprivation costs the United Kingdom economy a whopping £40 billion a year. Even with a margin of error, these statistics are simply disastrous. And it gets even scarier when you consider that the health implications of sleep deprivation on individuals across the UK are not accounted for in this figure.

Here is how you can grab a great night’s sleep:

pic credit from healthylnb.com

Create a rhythm

The key to sleeping right lies in going to bed at the same time every day. If you usually hit the sheets at 9 in the evening, do not deviate from that strategy. Create a disciplined timetable in your mind and avoid getting caught up in an episode of Star Wars till midnight one day and stay out till 1am the next day.

Be careful with napping

If you are always struggling with sleep at night, then long naps during the day are out of the question. This is because the more you sleep during the day, the less sleep you will have left at night. Now, experts will tell you that a good night’s sleep is way better than a straight year of sleep during the day. If you must take a nap, keep it at 20 minutes as maximum.

Take a good look at your diet

If you are a huge fan of coffee, at least don’t take it at night. 

The same applies to alcohol too because it inhibits your sleep patterns. The point is, you can take pretty much what you fancy; just don’t take it right before you get to bed.

Fashion your bedroom into a place for sleep

When your brain wants to turn everything off, it needs some egging on from the outside. You need to keep the environment in the bedroom quiet, dark and sleep-inducing. 

Turn down the music or shut it off completely. Place dark shades in your windows and invest in some cosy beddings.

pic  credit to www.sunriseclocks.co.uk

Invest in a sunrise clock

Sunrise clocks are meant to help you get to sleep at night because they slowly reduce the amount of light which they give off until it is dark and that's when you know you need to go to sleep. When you set your alarm in the morning the clock will slowly increase the amount of light it is giving out to gradually wake you up from your sleep making you feel well rested and ready for the day.

If nothing else works, try getting some natural sleep aids for yourself. Here's a list from Sleepedia.