Improving Sleep Cycles: 7 Proven Strategies for a Restful Night

Sleep cycles play a pivotal role in one’s overall sleeping experience, directly contributing to whether an individual will get the necessary sleep to restore after a tiring day. In addition, consistent and quality sleep cycles can also help boost cognitive functions, support the immune system, enhance emotional well-being, and improve metabolic health. 

However, a regular sleeping cycle remains an elusive dream for many. Various factors play a huge role in people not getting the sleep they need to feel refreshed and ready for a new day. The increased screen time, demanding work schedules, and heightened stress levels in the modern world lead to people struggling to achieve a good night’s sleep. 

Addressing these challenges requires more than just having a high-quality mattress. Adopting proven strategies to improve sleep can be invaluable for countless people, making their dreams of restful sleep become a reality. 

Strategies to Help You Have a Relaxing Night

Establishing certain strategic measures can lead to a cozy and refreshing night, preventing the need to worry about discomfort when you wake up.

1. Create a Consistent Sleeping Schedule

With media consumption at an all-time high and daily life getting busier, it is no wonder why many people are unknowingly doing revenge bedtime procrastination. This is why it is vital to set regular sleep and wake-up times to ensure that the body will get the rest that it needs. Staying up so late and waking up early ruins the natural sleep cycle, which makes people groggy or tired in the morning. 

A consistent schedule is integral in cultivating a healthy and relaxing sleep, helping improve one’s well-being. Ensure that you’ll be in bed at least 10 minutes before your bedtime, without phones or food with you. This helps regulate your circadian rhythm, promoting a sense of routine for the body, which is especially crucial for graveyard or weekend workers. 

2. Have a Regular Bedtime Routine

It is no secret that having a bedtime routine helps toddlers and children go to sleep faster. However, this is also applicable to adults, allowing them to fully relax before falling asleep. Using the time before bedtime to engage in consistent pre-sleep rituals helps the body wind down and produce sleep-inducing hormones like melatonin. 

Some activities that can ensure a restful night include having a warm shower, reading a book, journaling, or practicing relaxation exercises. 

3. Only Use the Bed for Sleeping or Sex

Yes, the bed can be a safe space for anyone to do any activity that they’d like. However, this can make the bed less appealing and comfortable to sleep in. Taking calls, eating, watching television, or working while in bed can lead to the bed being associated with heightened mental activity, which can make it harder to fall asleep at night. 

Reserving the bed solely for sleeping and sexual activities will make the bed a sanctuary for rejuvenation and highly contributes to having an undisturbed slumber. 

4. Limit Screen Exposure at Night

In a world where people’s lives mostly revolve online, there has been a significant increase in phone and computer usage worldwide. And for countless people, surfing on their social media accounts or watching videos on streaming apps is the perfect way to end the night. However, these practices have a profound impact on melatonin production, which can affect sleep quality. 

Having a screen-free wind-down routine is pivotal in having an optimal sleep cycle. It eliminates prolonged exposure to blue light emitted by screens. This can help in the efficient production of melatonin and allows for a smooth transition of the body into a restful state.

5. Avoid Stimulants

Caffeine and nicotine have helped countless people relax in many ways. However, these two stimulants can have a significant impact on one’s sleep quality and quantity. Caffeine from coffee, tea, or energy drinks can block adenosine receptors that promote relaxation and drowsiness. Meanwhile, nicotine can make it significantly challenging to initiate sleep, which can lead to restless sleep patterns. 

Minimizing intake of these stimulants, especially close to bedtime, is vital in getting a healthy sleeping cycle and overall physical and mental health.

6. Manage Stress and Anxiety

Another thing that could lead to a poor sleep cycle is heightened stress and anxiety due to several factors. Recognizing and addressing some of the stressors is paramount in enhancing slumber and enables individuals to create coping mechanisms that can help in relaxation before bedtime. 

Whether it is due to work-related, interpersonal, or personal issues, actively addressing and managing the stressors can help create a conducive mental and emotional environment for those looking for restful sleep. 

7. Optimize Bedroom Environment

Each person has their preferred sleeping environment, but it is no secret that a dark, quiet, and cold room is the best for optimal sleep. Nobody would like to stay long-term in a bright, noisy, or warm room, as this can make it more challenging to relax and fall asleep. These three crucial factors can optimize the conditions for quality rest, providing a more rejuvenating sleep for many. 

In addition, having a quality performance mattress can also do wonders for countless individuals. The right mattress will be able to provide optimal support and comfort, enabling sleepers to fall into slumber without worrying about discomfort. This can mitigate sleep disruptions and ensure that the body’s natural alignment is properly supported. 

Conclusion

As life gets busier in the modern world, getting quality sleep has become more paramount than ever. It might be hard to achieve for many, but adopting certain strategies can be a game changer for those looking to improve their sleep cycles. This will allow sleepers to foster better physical, mental, and emotional health while optimizing their natural sleep cycles. 

If you are looking to purchase the best mattress that can help you get started in improving your sleep cycle, then AiR by nishikawa is for you. Our line of AiR Performance Mattress is designed to give the best sleeping experience for its users, offering less stress on various pressure points and remarkable breathability for a cooler sleep. 

Read More: Understanding Sleep Cycles: An Essential Guide to a Restful Night of Sleep