How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

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Getting enough sleep is vital to health and well-being, both mental and physical. Of course, the amount of sleep differs from person to person, but the effects of sleep deprivation affect everyone that is missing out.

When the body sleeps, it doesn’t stop and shut down its actions completely. The period of rest is so that the body can heal itself, give it time to renew, and provide the brain with enough time to work through the happenings of the previous day. Not getting enough sleep can cause memory issues, bad moods, the feeling of fatigue, and tiredness throughout the day.

If you suffer from not being able to sleep or not getting enough sleep, there are some things that you can try which may help you.

#1 Shut Out the Light  

Humans are creatures of light, so it stands to reason that if you have light pouring through your window dressings, it is going to have an effect. If you have blinds or shutters, try also hanging curtains as well. Curtains that have blackout lining shut out pretty much all of the light, even if you are unlucky enough to have a streetlight positioned right outside your bedroom window. They are also very good at keeping the heat of the day out of the room in the summer and the warmth in the room during the winter if kept closed. These can also help during the daylight-saving hour’s change over periods. Knowing the answer to how does daylight saving hours impact your sleep will allow how to counteract it and therefore make the transition between times when the clocks move either forwards or backwards far easier.

#2 Reduce Time Spent Looking at Screens Before Bed

You have probably heard of this before, but looking at screens, whether it is your computer screen, tablet, or smartphone, can negatively impact your ability to sleep or get a good night’s sleep when you finally manage to close your eyes. This is due to the backlight that these devices project and the effect that they have on the melatonin levels in the body. Reducing time spent looking at these devices in the lead-up to bedtime could help you get off to sleep faster, have a better quality of sleep, and wake up feeling invigorated and ready for your day ahead.

#3 Provide Ample Time to Digest Food and Drink

Try not to eat or drink just before you go to bed. Going to bed on a full or bloated tummy will not only stop you from getting off to sleep quickly but could also make you feel unwell, nauseous, or suffer from indigestion or acid reflux. Your body most definitely requires time to digest your food, with experts saying at least 2 – 3 hours and to unwind before you try to get a good night’s sleep.

#4 Perform Deep Breathing Exercises

Teaching yourself to breathe properly may seem a bit cliché, but it can help relax you and get your body ready for sleep. Taking deep, slow breaths in through your nose, down into your diaphragm, and releasing it slowly out of your mouth while laying comfortably in bed will not only calm the body and your muscles but will also move much-needed oxygen around your body and to your brain.

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Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Editor-in-Chief at Chispa Magazine
Mavian Arocha-Rowe is known as an asset to the business and communications industry and is motivating and advocating “your authenticity should be your strategy,” for all women, regardless of their season and roles. For the past 20 years she has directed magazines, plus multiple art and marketing departments as creative director and brand manager. What supersedes all of her great career moves is her role as wife and mother living in Atlanta. Challenging herself to discover and bravely pursue the calling for her life, Arocha-Rowe helps other women discover and pursue their life’s assignment. She is a passionate, and loud-laughing speaker on the topic of purposefully redeemed, and mentors young women so they can exercise a mind that is doctrinally pure, along with a heart that beats toward sanctification. She will almost never turn down Marlow’s Tavern double-tavern cheeseburger, a cooking-demonstration from Leaning Ladder, or any opportunity to head to Miami to spend time with family.
Mavian Arocha-Rowe

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Mavian Arocha-Rowe

Mavian Arocha-Rowe is known as an asset to the business and communications industry and is motivating and advocating “your authenticity should be your strategy,” for all women, regardless of their season and roles. For the past 20 years she has directed magazines, plus multiple art and marketing departments as creative director and brand manager. What supersedes all of her great career moves is her role as wife and mother living in Atlanta. Challenging herself to discover and bravely pursue the calling for her life, Arocha-Rowe helps other women discover and pursue their life’s assignment. She is a passionate, and loud-laughing speaker on the topic of purposefully redeemed, and mentors young women so they can exercise a mind that is doctrinally pure, along with a heart that beats toward sanctification. She will almost never turn down Marlow’s Tavern double-tavern cheeseburger, a cooking-demonstration from Leaning Ladder, or any opportunity to head to Miami to spend time with family.