Ways to get that perfect night's sleep before long office hours

Sleeping is as important as balanced diet and exercise. Researchers say sleep can directly affect your mental and physical wellbeing and the quality of your waking life. Lack of sleep can take a toll on your daytime energy, productivity and emotional balance. Here's a few life hacks to get it right:

Reduce that caffeine
Avoid having coffee before going to sleep. Caffeine increases alertness and boosts energy levels. But wait, it's not just coffee, caffeine is also in tea, chocolate, soft drinks and energy drinks. A simple glass of warm water is the perfect way to end your day, say experts.

Bye bye to smartphones
A recent study says approximately 71 per cent of people, worldwide, sleep either holding their smartphones or keeping it on their night stands, checking internet in the bed. Any artificial light can affect the quality of sleep. The blue light of smartphones particularly affects your eyes and increases alertness. Shutting down bright screens a couple of hours before bedtime can relax your eyes for snoozing.

Power nap vs sleep
Short power naps are proven to be beneficial but long hours of sleep during the day can affect your sleep cycle. Experts feel that longer daytime naps confuse your body clock and lead to sleepless nights. But a 30-minute nap can boost your brain and increase your productivity in the later half of the day.
So if you feel very sleepy during the day, a splash of cold water on your face or a brisk walk can get you moving again.

Right control
 
Your body temperature and your room temperature are directly proportional. Studies say for optimal sleep, or while you are trying to retire, the apt bedroom temperature should be between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. When we try to sleep, our body temperature decreases and a cooler room can help you shut your eyes faster for the night. Higher thermostat settings can affect the quality of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and brain metabolism.

Eat right at the perfect time
A big meal is strictly prohibited before sleep as that can super-charge your metabolism and speed up your brain activity. This affects the quality of sleep and the natural release of growth hormone and melatonin. Studies have proven that a low-carb meal eaten 4 hours before bedtime can improve your sleep.

Exercise, but not before bed
Daytime exercise is one of the best ways to ensure a comfortable night's sleep. Running every day, even in the evening, can improve your shut-eye. Almost 25% of non-exercisers qualified as "sleepy" and at a high risk of sleep apnea.
In comparison, 2-12 % of exercisers qualify as sleepy and only 19% of regular exercisers are at risk of sleep apnea.


Source: WebMD, Sleep.org