Sleep doctor chevy chase says that you need 8 hours of night time sleep, this have been started umpteenth times by sleep disorder clinics as well. Why though? What is so important about sleeping 8 hours a day. The answer is because the body undergoes restoration process in these 8 hours of deep sleep, and when the body doesn’t get this profound sleep time, the restoration doesn’t take place and the body fatigue builds up slowly.

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Syncing Body’s Sleeping Cycle

Our body remembers the sleep pattern. So, if you make a habit of sleeping and waking up at the same time, the body will get synced to that. This will help you fall into a profound sleep without any hassle. It’s important that you don’t alter this even by 2 or 3 hours. It’s important that you get 8 hours of sleep at the same hours every day, to help your body restore bone and tissue matter.  You should also avoid sleeping in late, even on the days you have off, like public holidays and weekends. If you have lost sleep because of the late night you pulled off at the weekend, try rectifying that loss of sleep with a nap.

Even with naps you will have to smart if you want to have a good sleep schedule. A good smart nap is 20 to 30 minutes as per the conclusion of sleep disorder clinics. If you have a defined sleeping schedule this nap will help you in getting your energy back. Then there is this drowsiness we feel just after dinner. This is pretty common, after a hearty meal the body feels content, which makes us feel sleepy. Distract yourself with a house chore like, washing dishes or cleaning the after-dinner mess or call a friend, this will help you wave off the drowsiness so you can sleep directly at your bed time.

Exposure to Light Before and While Sleeping

Not many people are aware that sleep study centers have explained in their findings that the hormone known as Melatonin that helps with regulating sleep, is duly affected by light exposure. When the brain senses darkness it produces more amount of melatonin, making us fall asleep. Sensing light, it reduces the amount of melatonin making us alert.

Regulating the exposure of light throughout the day and in to the night, can help your body distinguish between day and night. Wake up while the sun is rising, have a hearty breakfast, take a walk or walk your dog. When you go out to work try and have a small walk in the sun, spend time outside in the evening breathing in the fresh air. Try to limit your light exposure one to two hour before bed. This signals your body that you are getting close to sleep time.

Watching TV just before bedtime isn’t relaxing. This in fact, overwhelms the melatonin, which makes falling asleep difficult. Rather than watching tv listen to an audio book. Try to sleep in a dark room with no lights. Install heavy drapes that will keep the light from your window out, giving you utter darkness. Turn off the tv sensor, place your phone face down and make your clock face the wall to remove all dim lights from the room. Utter darkness helps the brain sleep sooner.

Workouts During the Day Helps You Sleep at Night

Exercising should be done in day time, this helps out with metabolism and body temperature. But exercising close to bedtime can disrupt sleep. Try working out 4 hours prior to sleeping. If you still find it hard to sleep then prepone the exercise 6 to 7 hours prior to bedtime.

Eating and Drinking Before Bed

Whatever you eat or drink can have positive or negative affect on your sleep. For example, having caffeine before bed time is a big NO according to sleep study centers. It can mess up your sleep schedule for up to twelve hours. Likewise, sugar, alcohol, smoking and big meals should also be avoided before bedtime. As per the findings of Sleep center study, foods that can help you sleep are light snacks, like warm milk/yogurt or a banana.

Even after all these hacks if you can’t sleep for full 8 hours you should get a consult at sleep clinics bethesda, they surely will put your mind to ease.