A good night’s sleep is therapeutic. Sleep is the body’s time to conduct various repair and rejuvenation processes. That’s why people wake up fresh and all recharged to face another work packed day.
Research has shown that less sleep makes people prone to many problems and increases the risk to stroke and heart attacks. Increased risk for diabetes, common colds, depression and stress.
Now a days people use sleep trackers to measure the sleep which causes further stress that reduces the sleep even more and aggravates the problem.
Here are a few tips that can improve your sleep
1. Reduce your activity 1 to 2 hours before bedtime. This slows you down and let’s the brain get ready to go to sleep. Don’t indulge in fast and mentally engaging activity like fast digital games.
2. Turn of your screens like your mobile and television sets. These gadgets emit blue light that mimics sunlight which keeps the brain in daytime mode. It prevents the brain from secreting melatonin which is the brain’s sleep hormone. This prevents healthy normal sleep from kicking in.
3. Avoid intake of stimulants like coffee and tea at least 6 hours before bedtime as they tend to keep the brain active and prevent sleep. Energy drinks should be avoided especially if you suffer from sleep deprivation. It will tend to keep you awake all night.
4. People are using gadgets to monitor their sleep. Some people begin to worry about not getting enough sleep by seeing the sleep reports in the morning. This begins to cause stress and further reduces the sleep. So just stop using these fitness trackers to measure your sleep and sleep as much as your body needs.
5. Some people wake up frequently to to to the bathrooms for a leak. Then they find it difficult to fo to sleep. Avoid too much water intake 2 hours before bedtime. In elderly people sitting or standing causes swelling due to water retention which causes frequent urina6at night as the water from the feet gets absorbed and forms excessive urine. Raising your feet by placing a pillow under your feet an hour or so before bedtime will drain the accumulated water from the feet.
6. Sleep in a cool room. Hotter environments prevent sleep whereas cold environments induce sleep. So cool the room either by ventilation or switching the aircondition to a low temperature. The lower the temperature the easier or is to sleep
7. Breakfast like a king. Lunch like a commoner and dinner like a pauper. Having a light dinner aids in good sleep. Heavy meals can cause gastric distress which can cause discomfort which will not let you sleep peacefully.
8. Nuts have selenium and potassium which help to sleep well. So consuming a couple of nuts can induce a good sleep. Dairy foods and high protein foods like meat can reduce the quality of sleep.
9. Sleep in the same bed each night. Avoid changing your bed or sleeping on the couch at night. When bed partners snore it can disturb the other person. Some partners talk and beat in their sleep. This causes the other person frequently wake up thereby affecting the quality of sleep. It’s better to get your own bed
10. Get into bed the same time daily. Just close your eyes and lay down. This trains the brain to switch off at a fixed time daily. Lie on your back as lying on your back is known to relive aches and pains. It relaxes the body which leads to a restful night sleep. Using a pillow elevates the head reducing gastric reflux and heartburn.
Following these simple steps can greatly improve the quality of sleep and cause better health and happier fresher mind.
Homeopathy combined with counseling has proven time and again to be extremely effective in treating sleep disorders.
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Dr. Alfred D'Silva 
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