By Caty Saffarinia, Dietetic Intern Getting enough sleep is important for your overall health. Sometimes, life can get in the way of getting a good night’s sleep. When this happens, there are ways to make sure that the sleep you do get is quality and uninterrupted. Sleeping is an essential part of life. But it can be easy for some and more challenging for others. For example, you might find that it takes more than 20 minutes for you to fall asleep once you get into bed. While your neighbor might fall asleep as soon as his/her head hits their pillow. These two situations are normal. There are many factors that have been noted to interfere with the quality and quantity of your sleep. These include the use of electronics before bed, light and noise, foods and drinks you consume before bed, stress, lack of physical activity, and day time naps that are more than 30 minutes. If you have noticed any of these factors interfering with your sleep, here are some ways to manage the distractions to improve the sleep you get at night. Follow a sleep schedule - set aside 8 hours of sleep each night and try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Limiting daytime naps can also be helpful to ensure you get a full night’s sleep. If you do like to take naps during the day, aim for no more than 20 minutes. Focus on what you eat and drink before bed - make sure to not eat heavy meals a few hours before bed. When you are overly tired, it may be more difficult to pick healthier food options. Too little sleep can increase your hunger. With better sleep, you will have more energy to cook and eat meals that have more nutrients and your appetite will become more regular. Make a restful environment - keep your room cool, dark and quiet when it is time for bed. Do not use screens before bed because they can be very distracting and make it harder to fall asleep.
Plan for daily physical activity - if the weather is nice and you have some time during the day, go outside for a nice stroll around campus or your neighborhood. Stress management - there are many ways to manage your stress. Try yoga, meditation, keeping a journal, drawing, listening to calming music. Find what works best for you! Bringing these tips into practice and following a better sleep schedule will have you feeling better in no time!
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