5 Tips to get a better night’s sleep
How often do you get a good night’s sleep in? Do you have a solid sleeping schedule in place, or do you find yourself going to sleep at different hours each evening?
An adult needs at least seven to nine hours’ sleep per evening on average. You need this rest to ensure your body heals and repairs during the evening so that you are fully recharged for the day ahead.
Plus, getting a good night’s sleep is super important to your overall wellbeing – and did you know that sleep can benefit your weight loss journey too! Here are 5 tips to get a better night’s sleep and the benefits that you will gain from it.
1. Ditch that cup of coffee after lunch
Love your coffee? Is that daily latte one of the things you look forward to the most every day? It might be best to limit your coffee intake after around noon if you need to improve your sleeping pattern. The reason for this is that caffeine can take up to six hours to metabolise in your body – which means you could battle to settle in for the evening if your body is still hard at work digesting the caffeine.
Some coffee drinks are also loaded with calories thanks to cream, extra sugar and other ingredients that can contribute to weight gain – which is another reason to limit your caffeine intake! You may be surprised at just how many hidden sugars may go into your favourite coffee!
2. Switch off at least 30 minutes before bedtime
Do you find yourself still checking emails and social media alerts on your mobile phone right up until bedtime? Try to make a habit of switching off your mobile devices at least half an hour or sooner before going to sleep. This will help you to unwind and unplug from a slew of information that could keep you awake with your thoughts ticking over – staying up later may also cause you to reach unnecessarily for snacks the longer you stay awake!
Speaking off late-night snacking …
3. Try to limit night-time snacks
Getting that little hunger pain a while after dinner can happen – and keep you awake when you should be going to bed if you are trying to not indulge!
However, if you are truly hungry, there are some options such as berries, plain yoghurt and oatmeal that are low-calorie foods that will help to fill up your tummy without increasing your chances of weight gain. Remember, your metabolism slows down in the evening so you wouldn't want to make a habit of this, and high-calorie snacks will not be as quickly digested as they would earlier in the day. Try to limit late night snacks to under 200 calories if you do find yourself craving.
If you tend to have a sweet tooth later in the evenings and just can not see, to curb it, try opting for an added help. Herbalplans Thermo Complete are designed to help the body to be able to cope better with the daily challenges associated with dieting, taking these in the day will help to suppress sugar cravings later on in the day, while helping to leave you feeling invigorated.
4. Have a bulky alarm clock? Keep its screen out of sight!
Although an alarm clock is definitely a better option than your mobile phone’s alarm and has fewer distractions, it can still distract you if you are constantly glancing at it. Turn the screen away to face the other side of the room and resist the urge to check it constantly – you will definitely get more sleep in! Having a trusty alarm clock with help to reassure you that it will be woken up when needed, and no time before.
5. Love exercising? Don’t save it for too close to bedtime!
Exercising can help you sleep better at night and assist with weight loss – but not if you plan your exercise slot too close to bedtime, your body and adrenaline will still be working after exercise, so try not to exercise within the 4 hour gap prior to your bedtime. If you do have some spare time before bed, pop on some guided meditation or subliminal beats (you can YouTube these easily) and help yourself to switch off, enjoy your down time!
Make sleep a priority!
Ultimately, getting a better night’s sleep will help you to be better prepared for the day ahead – and to exercise more control over late-night snacking and ingested too many calories. So, make sleep a priority!
*Did you enjoy our blog? Be sure to check out our next edition, where we will provide some insight into why quick-fix diets aren’t the best of solutions!
