Good sleep is usually recommended for general wellbeing, and mental health is one area where that applies. A lack of sleep can make you stressed and anxious and, in some cases, lead to depression. You’ll need a healthy mind to have a healthy life, and if it means getting to relax a little, then why not. So, in this article, you’ll be introduced to how to improve your sleep and achieve excellent mental health.
1. Develop a nighttime routine
It may seem like much, but you will notice an improvement in your mental health once you consider it. A nighttime routine involves a series of techniques that are geared towards relating your body and mind. This allows you to sleep better during the night to gain the refreshment the body and mind needs. A few things you can do is to take a warm bath before bed or put on soothing music. You can also try reading by soft light or practising breathing exercises.
2. Create an enabling sleeping environment
There is such a thing as an environment that does not help you sleep. This kind of environment includes the bed, exposure to light, and temperature of the room. So re-evaluate your mattress and the sheets you’re sleeping on. Look out for those that support the body and consider silk sheets that are gentle on the skin. Regulate your exposure to light with curtains and regulate your fan or air conditioning to ensure you’re not too hot or too cold. When it comes to cutting light, it is advisable to do it for about an hour or two before bed.
3. Get on medication
These days, it is easy to get access to medication for just about anything. Sleep is one of those things, and as the days go by, more and more of them are coming out. You might need to see an expert before getting medication prescribed, and this only ensures that you get only the right kind of help. Apart from the conventional sleep improvement medication, there are others like CBG oil, that could potentially help. More research is still ongoing into other unconventional forms of medication, but so far, there are good things to say about them.
4. Be careful what you consume
Some consumables have the potential of interrupting your sleep cycle and so as much as possible reduce how much you consume, especially before bedtime. Things like caffeine and alcohol are common culprits, and it’s advised to cut them off altogether. But as it is easier said than done, making sure to avoid them at bedtime is also acceptable. Since we’re on the topic of consumables, try your best to replace the unhealthy options with healthier ones, so that you’re getting double benefits.
5. Don’t forget to exercise
Getting your blood properly flowing is also another recommended technique to improve the quality of your sleep. That’s because it increases the time you spend in the restorative stages of sleep, therefore improving your health. So try your best to exercise as often as you can, paying attention to the ones geared towards healthy sleep. However, avoid doing it at bedtime, as it is detrimental to the sleep cycle.
With all the good things sleep does for your mental health, finding solutions should become a priority. Luckily, there are very simple things that you can do, and the above are a few of them.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.
