7 Innovative Ways to Get High Quality Sleep
Rest and recovery
Sleep is an essential part of overall performance. Have you struggled to get consistent great sleep on a daily basis? Getting adequate sleep will help to regulate stress, boost your immune system, increase your mood, and improve your memory. There is a lot of information out there on the benefits of good sleep. We will take a look at seven innovative ways to maximize your potential by getting great sleep.
1. Daily Routine
During the day there are various things that can be done to set yourself up for restful sleep. One of the keys to high quality sleep is doing a few strategic things which are outlined below.
- Try not to eat too late: You want to give the body a chance to switch off into rest mode. By eating too late it doesn’t allow the organs to rest. Do your best to stop eating by no later than 8pm.
- Get active: Make sure to move throughout the day whether exercise or walking. Any type of physical activity throughout the day will help to promote restful sleep.
- Eliminate gadgets: Be sure to shut off phone, laptops and the television at least one to two hours prior to bed.
Staying consistent with a daily routine will set you up for successful sleep and allow your body adequate time to wind down.
2. Get REM Sleep
REM sleep, which is rapid eye movement, is the stage of active sleep that takes place at least 90 minutes after one falls asleep. REM sleep is one of the four stages that the brain goes through during the sleep cycle.
The first stage is NREM stage 1 occurs the first 5–10 minutes after sleep. This is where most people will doze off. The second stage is NREM stage 2, which takes place 10–30 minutes after the first stage, is where muscles relax and heart rate starts to decrease. The third phase is the NREM stage 3 which is where deep sleep takes place. NREM stage 3 takes place 20 minutes after stage 2. The final stage is REM, where dreams take place and is also where the most brain activity happens.
Here are the benefits of REM sleep.
- Brain Development: The brain is very active during this stage and REM sleep helps to strengthen neural connections.
- Memory: The brain stores information and filters out important memories
A great way to get more REM sleep is to develop a sleep schedule. This will train your body for sleeping and waking cycles.
3. Optimize Your Bedroom for Sleep
There are a wide variety of things that can be done in the bedroom that will promote restful sleep.
- High quality bedding: Certain fabrics that absorb moisture such as wool, cotton, and linen are great materials that you’ll want on your bed sheets.
- Temperature: The room temperature plays a significant role in optimizing sleep. When temperatures are cooler this facilitates deep sleep.
- Thread count of sheets: The thread count of sheets is a measure of how tightly woven a fabric is. It’s best to aim for a thread count between 200–600 depending on the material used.
- Minimize light: Use heavy curtains to block out light. A mask can also be used as well.
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4. Develop a Nightly Routine
Preparing for a good night’s sleep will help to train your brain that it’s time for bed and allow for more restful sleep. Set aside at least 30-60 minutes for preparing to sleep.
- Light stretching: There are many benefits to stretching and taking yourself through a quick 5–10 minute full body stretch will help to facilitate restful sleep.
- Reading: Reading for a short time before bed can improve sleep quality and promote longer sleep duration.
- Breathing: Doing breath work or guided breath work before bed helps to regulate breathing and shift the body into a very calm state. Try doing breathing exercises for at least 10–20 minutes before sleep.
5. Essential Oils
Utilizing essential oils can help to calm the nervous system therefore allowing for adequate sleep. Here are just a few choices of essential oils for sleep.
- Lavender oil: Lavender oil is used to assist with anxiety, depression, and can help with nausea.
- Chamomile oil: Chamomile oil has a nice calming effect on the mind when diffused.
- Bergamot oil: Bergamot oil can help to reduce heart and blood pressure in preparation for sleep.
- Clary Sage: Clay Sage is an excellent essential oil for stress relief, menstrual cramps, and also has antibacterial properties.
6. Nutrition
Nutrition plays an integral part in overall health and sleep. There are certain micronutrients and minerals that when consumed promote great sleep.
- Iron: Iron is involved in certain chemical processes in the brain that helps to increase the length of sleep. Foods that are rich in iron are oysters, spinach, chickpeas, white beans, and lentils.
- Magnesium: Magnesium is involved in your circadian rhythm and helps to allow a natural sleep process. Great sources of magnesium are black beans, potatoes, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews and peanuts,
- Omega-3 Fatty Acid: This healthy fat assists with sleep duration as well as the quality of sleep. Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseeds, walnuts, avocado and salmon.
7. Technology
There are a number of creative devices that are designed to help provide you with great sleep. Here are a handful of cool gadgets that will assist in getting you some great sleep.
- Apollo Neuro: This device is great for assistance with anxiety, focus, and overall physical activity.
- Hybrid Duvet by Simba: This duvet has temperature control features to help you get trap excess heat if you get a bit too hot and releases heat when you get too cold.
- Exqline Diffuser: This diffuser is a great for adding essential oils and calming the nervous system before sleep.
So what is the big deal with getting enough sleep? Well for starters it will get your new day off on the right foot. Getting enough sleep will keep your stress low and mood relatively balanced.
Sleep is a vital part of our health. By developing a solid daily routine and also optimizing your bedroom for sleep this will set you up for high quality sleep. Your nutrition will also play an essential role in helping you to get adequate sleep. Be sure to include some really great essential oils such as lavender and clary sage into your sleep routine. Sleep technology is very optional and can be a great addition to your sleep arsenal.
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