We often come across people saying, “I don’t get sleep anyway” or “I can’t even remember the last time I got enough sleep”. However, the ability to stay up late or not sleep through the night isn’t cool or something to be happy about. Sleeping through the night is just as important as staying active during the day. We know the importance of sleep, but do we actually understand it?
You’re not doomed to toss and turn every night. It is not ‘just the way it is’. Several factors including stress, anxiety, and other unexpected challenges can lead to sleepless nights. It doesn’t take long to convert into a habit even when the above factors solve themselves. Working on these factors and building healthy habits can help encourage quality sleep.
These simple tips may help build a healthy sleep cycle:

Keep a check on the diet you follow
It is advised to eat just the right amount of food before sleeping. Don’t go to bed hungry or stuffed. Consumption of nicotine or alcohol also creates havoc in sleep patterns. Even though alcohol may get you to feel drowsy and sleepy initially, it affects quality sleep later at night. Intake of caffeine during the later part of the day stimulates your nervous system and disturbs your natural body clock if consumed in excess.

Create a calm restful environment
Before going to bed, make sure that you have your ideal soothing atmosphere set. Do not expose yourself to harsh or very bright light before bed time. Dim lighting promotes a peaceful setting. Make your room cool, dark and quiet. Performing calming activities like taking a shower, or using other relaxation techniques also promotes better sleep.


Avoid staring at screens for long hours
It is advisable to not spend a lot of time continuously on your mobiles and laptops during the day and avoid them completely at least 30- 60 minutes before sleeping. Keeping your mind and body calm & clutter-free is essential to be able to form a healthy sleep cycle.

Limit naps during the day
Taking long naps during the day may often interfere with your sleeping schedule at night. Even if you take a nap during the day, limit it to a maximum of one hour. Avoid taking naps in the later part of the day as they might affect your scheduled eight hours of sleep during the night.

