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It’s safe to say that most of us are not getting the amount of sleep that we need. Due to the modern way we live and the requirements of everyday life surrounding that, we’re pretty much always on the go. And while it may feel empowering to be enjoying a fun life filled with adventure, triumphs and excitement, it sure knows how to knock your health for six. Because exhausted bodies can only do so much, and only go so far before they start to shut off and tell us to slow down. And it’s for this exact reasons that we all need to be focus on our sleep levels a little more.
Right now, you might be thinking that you get enough sleep. But unless you can bag yourself a solid seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night as a minimum, you’re not! And can you safely say that you get that night after night? If you don’t, then you could be put your health at risk – and you will be forced to slow down soon enough. To avoid that from happening, you need to start getting better sleep. And we’re going to show you how by walking through the benefits of better sleep, and then how you can go about getting it.
Why You Need It
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So to kick everything off, we’re going to take a further look at the benefits of better sleep and why you should consider getting some!
Better Brain Function
Do you ever feel completely drained and mentally exhausted? When that’s the case, your lack of sleep is not going to be doing you any favors. Because when you get good sleep, you help not only your memory and cognitive abilities, but you boost your creativity levels too. So if you want to be able to perform better at work, or ace any tests, a good night’s sleep is always going to be essential.
More Energy
And let’s talk about that exhaustion a little more. Because it’s not only your mind that can get tired when you’re sleep deprived, you’re going to have absolutely no energy either. Because when we sleep, we conserve energy. There’s a reason that you always feel so chipper when you’ve slept well. A good night’s sleep will always boost your energy levels.
Healthier Skin
If you’ve ever looked in the mirror after an awful night’s sleep and felt like you’ve aged ten years, you’re not the only one. Sleep can affect your skin. And a lack of it for a long time is going to cause you to age quicker. That’s right, a good night’s sleep can keep your skin healthy. Not only will it fight off those awful fine lines, but you’ll look much more radiant too. There really is a reason it gets called beauty sleep.
Healthier Body
From here, you’re also going to want to think about the benefits sleep has for the rest of your body too. And there are plenty – because sleep can help you stay in shape. If you need to lose a little weight, better sleep will help. When you get some quality sleep, your metabolism will always run better. And if you always feel hungry after a bad night’s sleep, that will stop. Because quality sleep helps to regulate your blood sugar levels too.
Happier Disposition
You’ll also be in a much better mood after getting a good night’s sleep too. Just think about it. You’re usually quite crabby when you’ve not slept well – or even if you’ve just gotten used to sleeping for a few short hours instead of the seven or eight hours that you need. When you do get better sleep, your stress levels will reduce and so will your anxiety, so you can say goodbye to being irritable.
How To Get It
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Now that you’re solid on good levels of sleep, you’re probably wondering just how you’re meant to go from an almost insomniac to a sleeping beauty. Here’s how.
Set Yourself A Bed Time
To start with, you need to set yourself a bedtime. And don’t laugh this often. No, you may not be a child anymore, but bedtimes help you to make sure that you get the sleep you need. By going to bed at the same time each night, your body gets into a pattern. And it will find it easier to sleep the required seven to eight hours a night when you do.
Wind Down
But, before you get to that point, you’re going to want to make sure you prepare for your good night’s sleep throughout the evening. This means you need to start winding down before you hit the hay. Switch off your devices an hour or two before you’re due to go to bed. Have a bath and read instead. This will help to get your mind into sleep mode.
Use The Right Equipment
But you also need the right bedroom setup too. If you’re uncomfortable, you won’t sleep well. So you need to do your research to find a solution that works for you. You’ll find that this zinus mattress review compares the two most popular zinus mattress models, but you also need to find a style that suits your sleep needs. And don’t forget your sheets, comforter, and pajamas too.
Be Mindful
Then, when it’s time to sleep, you should try to be mindful. If you really do struggle to get off to sleep, this is going to be ideal for you. By working on some mindfulness exercises, you should find that you can train your brain to switch off and get into the right state for sleep. Then, you won’t have trouble nodding off at all.
Wake Up Early & Exercise
Finally, you also need to think about getting up nice and early and getting a workout in too. When you do, you’ll find that you are more productive throughout the day and that when it comes to the evening, you’re already tired and ready to get to sleep when bedtime comes around. It’s a win-win.