When should you stop drinking caffeine in order to get the best night’s sleep? How often should you change your sheets? Science has a lot of answers to these questions, and more, so read on to see how you can make your bedtime routine scientifically the best!
Put the phone down
This is something we are all guilty of. When you use your phone, or any screen, in bed at night, it reduces the amount of melatonin that our brains produce. Melatonin is a hormone which essentially tells our bodies that it’s time to sleep. Put your screens away at least 30 minutes before you want to go to sleep. If you want to do something, read a book instead, but not on a
Kindle, stick to a good old fashioned paperback.
Cut the caffeine
Most of us are wise enough to stop drinking coffee near bedtime, but actually, we should limit our intake around mid-afternoon. The advice is that adults should only consume a maximum of 400mg of caffeine per day which works out at around two or three coffees, depending on the brand. One and a half cups of a regular Starbucks coffee is your full amount of caffeine, whereas you can have four McDonalds’ coffees to get the same amount.
Keep your sheets clean
It only takes one week for your bed to get super gross. The sweat, dead skin, animal dander, pollen, lint and dust mite debris all add up to create a rather disgusting environment! If you suffer from allergies, you have to be particularly aware of this, but generally, you should change your bedsheets every seven days.
Get some more sunshine
We are not saying that you need to go on holiday (although let’s face it, we all do!) but you should try to get at least 30 minutes in the sun every day. This will help you fall asleep later in the day.
Set the right temperature
If your room is too hot or too cold, sleep will evade you. Try to work towards a temperature between 65 – 70 degrees Fahrenheit as this will keep you cool enough to sleep, but without letting your body get too cold.
Quit the tobacco
Whether you chew it or smoke it, tobacco has been linked to a whole lot of health issues, although you might be surprised to know that poor quality sleep is one. If you struggle to sleep or feel unrefreshed when you wake up try giving up the tobacco and see how it influences your sleep.
Exercise
Of course, working out will make you tired, but there is more to it than that. Being overweight can affect your sleep patterns and not exercising makes it harder for your brain and body to power down at night. There is a caveat; however, it is important to finish your work out at least 2-3 hours before bedtime as otherwise, you will be overstimulated in body and mind.
Sleeping is such an important part of our ability to function. If you don’t sleep well, you won’t be able to perform at your optimum, and you will find that your concentration is poor, your energy is low and your mood will down too. So take these tips from tired and get a good night’s sleep!
