If you love sleeping, well, there is a day you’ll want to mark on your calendars! World Sleep Day falls on March 13th, in the middle of Sleep Awareness Week, which runs between March 10th to 16th. These events raise awareness about the importance of adequate and uninterrupted sleep for the human body. It is a vital body function, which is essential for the survival of a person. As World Sleep Day and Sleep Awareness Week are approaching, here are some changes you can introduce in your day to day life to enjoy better sleep.

1. Get quality bedding

Your bedding plays a vital role in ensuring that you have a good sleep. Get yourself a good quality mattress and plush pillows, which would offer ample support and cradle the contours of your body. This prevents you from waking up with body aches and you can enjoy a restful night’s sleep. Buy yourself a few high-quality bed sheet sets too. Low quality sheets are uncomfortable to sleep on, may cause you to overheat and sweat, and may collect dust, dirt, mold, and bacteria.

2. Tidy up your bedroom

An untidy or messy room is not conducive to a good night’s sleep. All the clutter in your sleeping space causes information overload and makes it harder to get shut-eye. If you are in the habit of piling up your things on your bed and sleeping in the middle of it all, change that behavior. Instead, start a routine of clearing your bed before you go to sleep. Better yet, make your bed everyday so that you have a tidy space to rest in, without your limbs touching things every time you stretch or move. Get rid of any extra junk and, if possible, rearrange and remove some unnecessary things from your bedroom to keep the area decluttered.

3. Put on clean sheets

Nobody likes the hassle of changing and washing sheets, but the lack of clean sheets could be the reason why you find it difficult to have a relaxed sleep. Make it a habit to change your sheets every week and wash the old ones before reuse. Use quality detergent and fabric softener to ensure that you get to sleep on clean, comfortable and soft sheets. Dirty sheets are not only uncomfortable to sleep on, you also run a risk of skin diseases by using them. Sleeping on fresh sheets is a soothing experience.

4. Go to bed early

Listen to the childhood lesson of early to bed and early to rise. Sleeping and waking up early aligns your sleep schedule to the circadian rhythm, which is the natural body clock human beings are supposed to follow. This allows your body and brain to reset and recover. As you develop this healthy habit, you will see a stark improvement in your sleep as well as your overall health.

5. Vow to reduce caffeine

Although the daily cups of coffee might help you survive work and life, they also mess up your sleep schedule. Caffeine stimulates the brain and makes it difficult to relax and sleep, leaving you tossing and turning around in bed. For better sleep, reduce your intake of caffeine in any form. Stop consuming any coffee after 3pm and, gradually, you will find it easier to fall asleep.

6. Set time for tech detox

Technology, despite its immense benefits, can be extremely engaging, addictive and disruptive to your schedule. If you find yourself scrolling through your phone or other devices through late hours of the night, it is time to go for a tech detox. Put your devices away at least an hour before sleep and use that time to unwind and relax instead. If you find it difficult to not use your devices, look into applications which can help you by locking away the more distracting features on your devices (work, social media, TV streaming, etc.) for a designated time period, thereby enforcing tech detox.

7. Make your bedroom environment sleep friendly

Your sleeping environment has a huge impact on your sleep. Get yourself some heavy curtains to cut out on any external light, which might disturb you while sleeping. Remove electronics (TV, desktop, laptop, etc.) from the bedroom too, so it’s a distraction-free environment. If you have trouble sleeping, step away from your bedroom to read a book before retiring to your mattress when you finally feel drowsy. That way, you reserve your bedroom for sleep only.

Sleep is essential for a human being to function. Getting yourself a healthy sleep schedule and routine should always be a priority. Adequate amounts of sleep will help you wake up refreshed and well rested, which in turn, helps you have a better day as you go forward in life.

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