3 Secrets To A Good Night’s Sleep

A good night’s rest makes all the difference to our health and wellbeing, and it’s just as important as a balanced diet and plenty of exercise in keeping us fit and healthy. But sometimes getting that high-quality rest can be hard to do.

Here are three secrets that can help you rest well and optimize your routine for a better night’s sleep.

Limit your caffeine intake

Caffeine offers several benefits and it’s something that many people drink to enhance focus, energy, and even athletic performance. But when it’s consumed later in the day, it can stimulate your nervous system and can prevent you from unwinding and relaxing when you go to sleep. Even drinking caffeine up to six hours before you head to bed can worsen your sleep quality, because it remains in your bloodstream for up to eight hours. So if you want to optimize your sleep quality, it’s worth skipping caffeine after 3 pm.

Keep your schedule consistent

Our natural circadian rhythm functions on a loop and aligns itself with sunrise and sunset, which is why we naturally feel more tired in the evenings and alert in the morning. But if you have an irregular sleep pattern, it can be hard for your body to get into that natural rhythm, leaving you struggling to fall asleep when you are supposed to. It can also impact the levels of melatonin in the body, a hormone that signals to the brain when it’s time to sleep. Staying consistent with when you go to sleep and when you wake up can help your body get into a routine that helps you naturally unwind and wake up at the same times each day.

Set your bedroom temperature

Many people are unaware that the temperature of their bedroom actually has a profound impact on the quality of sleep you get. Have you ever noticed that when it’s summer or you’re sleeping in a hotter location, you struggle to get to sleep? The reason is that it raises our body temperature which impacts our sleep quality and increases wakefulness. The ideal temperature for your bedroom is around 20oC, but experiment with the right temperature for you and your preferences to find the right balance.

Final thoughts

Sleep is important to our mental and physical health, and if you’re struggling to get a good night’s rest, you should seek advice from your GP. However, there are some ways you can optimize your sleep, from getting your sleep environment right to limiting caffeine and alcohol before bed and making sure you’re heading to bed and waking up at a similar time each day. Supplements such as CBD in the OTO Sleep Collection may also help reduce the symptoms that can inhibit sleep, such as anxiety and stress, helping you to unwind naturally.

By creating the right routine for your own lifestyle, you can encourage better quality sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.