In a bid to stay healthy and fit, You must be eating all your greens, working out diligently, drinking enough water, and doing everything you can do in your power to stay hale and hearty. But all of your efforts may go in vain if you don’t pay heed to the most important factor i.e. sleep routine. Sleep plays a crucial role in our overall well being and is often overlooked when it comes to staying healthy. Sleep and health issues go hand in hand.
Adequate sleep is essential to prevent cardiovascular diseases, boost your mood and energy, increase cognitive abilities, and prevent weight gain. As much important as sleep is, it is also important to establish a proper sleep routine. Thanks to factors like work overload, unhealthy eating habits, and increased screen time, especially with the coming up of various OTT platforms like Netflix; our sleep routines have been put on stake.
To fully achieve the health goals you need to have a decent sleep routine. To help you with that, we’ve listed down some basic tips to detox your sleep routine and establish a healthy sleep routine for yourself.
6 Effective Tips to Detox Sleep Routine
Here are some of the best tips to detox your sleep routine
1. Use minimal lights in the evenings
You must’ve heard of it a lot of times but using minimal lights in the evening is actually the key to detox your sleep routine. Turning the lights down before bedtime hours is necessary because the biological clock of humans is set in such a way that when the sun goes down, the darkness tells our body to produce the sleep hormone; melatonin which makes us fall asleep.
It is suggested to dim your lights at around 7 pm in the evening. Deploy night vision filters on all screens that can be configured to automatically turn on when the sun sets, as well as using blue light glasses.
Also, switch off all electronic devices at least 30 minutes prior to falling asleep. This also means that you need to cut back on checking your social media handles before sleeping and binge-watching Netflix till the wee hours. You can also stick to low illumination in the evenings by using dimming lights, or using scented candles. As a bonus, it would give your home a pleasant and soothing vibe along with saving electricity.
2. Exercise during the day
Establishing a healthy workout routine is not only great for your physical and mental health, but it also helps in sleep detoxification. Ideally, you should start your day with a mild or moderate form of aerobic exercise like jogging, running, cycling, swimming etc. indulging in at least 30 minutes of daily physical exercise will boost your mood and would lead to a rush of hormones like dopamine and endorphins. It decompresses the mind and helps you in getting a decent sleep at night.
However, it is also important to exercise at the right time during the day. It is recommended no later than at least 3 hours before your bedtime so that your body has enough time to slow down and recover. Remember not to do exhausting activities too close to your sleep time – that may mean you’ll end up too tired and won’t be able to sleep.
3. Use essential oils
In a bid to calm down your mind and detox sleep routine, you can blindly rely on essential oils. Some of the best well known essential oils to help you drift off to sleep include –
Lavender – Lavender has an excellent track record when it comes to sending people off to sleep. It has been shown to improve the quality of sleep and alleviate symptoms associated with insomnia and restlessness.
Valerian – Valerian oil is known for its sedative influence. It is believed that using valerian oil will help you sleep after a tiring day, without feeling drowsy and grumpy in the morning.
Bergamont – It is known as a wonder oil because of its ability to slow down heart rate, lower blood pressure and reduce feelings of anxiety and sleep. Thereby, it positively impacts your sleep quality.
Roman chamomile – If you’ve dealt with or are dealing with insomnia, many people must’ve suggested you drink a cup of chamomile tea. Similarly, Roman chamomile oil is capable of reducing anxiety, enhancing vital signs, and encouraging improved quality sleep. Additionally, it also reduces the occurrence of nightmares.
Spraying some essential oil on your pillows and sheets freshens up your room and also aids in sleep detoxification
4. Switch off electronic devices
It may be really tempting to check your social media or switch on Netflix if you are not able to sleep. Well, using electronic devices like TVs, laptops, smartphones, or any other electronic gadgets before bed interrupts the body’s circadian rhythm, inhibits the production of the sleep-inducing melatonin hormone and makes it more difficult for you to fall asleep.
Swapping your phone for a good read is one of the best ways to detox your sleep routine. You can also write a journal, do some light stretching, put on some soft music, take a nice bath, apply a face mask or meditate for a bit. These activities will remove all your strain from the day, and help you have a good night’s sleep.
Detox Sleep Routine5. Avoid drinking caffeine
Though most people prefer to have a great cup of coffee after a tiring and stressful day; it is a terrible idea if you consume it before sleeping. The most obvious consequence of the stimulant is that it is impossible for you to fall asleep.
One study also found that caffeine could delay the timing of your biological clock and disrupt your sleeping pattern. Caffeine can also reduce the amount of deep sleep you ‘re experiencing. Not only caffeine, but you should also refrain from lighting cigarettes or consuming alcohol to facilitate sleep detoxification.
6. Avoid feasting too much
Bad news for late-night food mongers. Eating right before sleeping as well as drinking too much fluids can prevent you from sleeping. Consuming a big and wholesome meal can cause indigestion that interferes with sleep while drinking so many fluids at night may trigger frequent urination at night. To get optimal sleep you should eat your last big meal 2- 3 hours prior to sleeping so that your body can digest it properly.
If you are up till late at night and 4-5 hours have passed since you ate your last meal, then you can take some light snacks. Eat foods like fruits which could be digested easily. Always avoid eating fatty, spicy, and acidic foods that promote indigestion.
Also Read; 7 Tips To Fall Asleep Faster
