Do you often find yourself lying wide awake at night? Even when you get into bed earlier, falling asleep feels like a highly challenging mission.

There is always that one tiny little thought slipping into your mind and keeping it running all night. Or, maybe a twist in your stomach, making you feel restless and uncomfortable.

Sounds familiar? Rest assured. We will help you.

Unhealthy sleep habits seem to be a common problem among millennials. When life presents you with a high level of both opportunities and pressures, time seems to be of the essence.

Hence, sleep becomes the last of your priorities.

So, you want to improve your sleep quality? Start with the following practical tips and save yourself from chronic sleep deprivation effects.

1.  Schedule Your Sleep

Your body has its own biological clock called the Circadian Rhythm, which regulates your sleep-wake cycles. It has the ability to “read” your body’s peak performance time and when it starts to get tired.

However, this circadian rhythm will only work if you have a regular sleeping schedule.

That is why it is extremely crucial to create a sleeping schedule that allows you to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.

That way, you will activate your circadian rhythm, which is the most effective way to improve your sleep quality.

2.  Stop Consuming Caffeine in the Evening

Do you know that it takes 30 to 60 minutes for your body to process caffeine? And another 5-hour process to get half of it out of your system?

Therefore, if you’re used to drinking caffeinated products like coffee, tea, or chocolate in the evening, stopping them will be your best step to improve your sleep quality.

Take your last cup of coffee for the day at 2 PM if you want to sleep at 9 PM. Make sure your body has enough time to process the substance, and you will find yourself sleeping like a baby!

3.  Never Eat Large Meals Before You Sleep

Stop eating that big chunk of steak or cup noodles at night. If you don’t, you will never improve your sleep quality.

Your body needs time to process the food in your stomach, approximately 2 to 3 hours. If you go to sleep right after finishing your meal, it causes acid reflux.

Your stomach is busy digesting while you’re sleeping. Therefore, it will make you feel extremely uncomfortable and cause you to wake up exhausted the following day.

That is why if you want to improve your sleep quality, refrain from eating large meals at night. Or, if by any chance you have to attend a banquet, try taking a 2-hour break before going to sleep.

It will give your body some time to digest everything, and you will sleep more comfortably.

4.  Sleep Better with Smart Naps

There is nothing wrong with taking naps. However, you have to take your naps the smart way. Unwise naps will lead you into feeling more alert at night.

How? Well, if you want to improve your sleep quality, make sure you take your nap in the early afternoon and no longer than 10 to 20 minutes so you won’t fall into a deep sleep.

Your body will get the recharge it needs, but you won’t rob any of its sleep supply for the night.

5.  Put Your Phone Away from Your Sleeping Area

Never EVER use your phone prior to sleeping. That is because your gadgets emanate blue light from its LED screens, suppressing the melatonin hormone that helps you get drowsy.

Turn off all your gadgets at least 20 to 30 minutes before you sleep and put them away from your sleeping area. That way, you can improve your sleep quality even more efficiently.

At the end of the day, even when your schedule is unbelievably tight, please remember that sleeping is your best and most important mechanism to get your brain and body working at its full capacity.

Now, what happens to your body when you don’t get enough sleep? Well, it will result in numerous critical long-term effects such as:

  • high blood pressure,
  • heart attack,
  • diabetes,
  • fatigue,
  • drastic mood swings,
  • irritability, and
  • reduced sex drive.

Therefore, always remember to set a fixed schedule for your sleeping and stand by it. That way, not only can you improve your sleep quality, you can also improve your quality of life.