Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Posted by Dr. Joshua Fox

As we talked about in our previous blog, a good night sleep is beneficial to your health including the health of your skin. Everyone needs at least seven hours of sleep every night. Sleep is vital to a person’s health. It maintains your physical health and supports growth and development. Diet and exercise plays a role in how well you sleep. It’s very important to watch what you put in your body in the hours before bed. Here are five tips for a good night’s sleep.

• Exercise. Just 30 minutes of any kind of exercise can help you sleep better. Exercise helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and lower the risk of diseases. Getting sweaty makes it easier to sleep. Do not exercise three to four hours before bed.
• Caffeine. Try to limit or avoid caffeinated beverages especially coffee, tea, and soft drinks throughout the day. Do not consume any caffeine after lunch and definitely not before bed. You might sleep right after having some coffee but you will not get a good sleep.
• Prescription / Medication. If you are taking any sort of medication it might be affecting your sleep. Some medication contains alcohol or other ingredients that can make it harder to sleep. Check with your doctor if your medication could be affecting your sleep.
• Bedroom. Your bedroom should be a peaceful place to just sleep. Refrain from watching television, eating, or finishing work in the bedroom. The more screen time you get, the later you will go to bed as a result of not getting enough sleep.
• Room Temperature. How comfortable you feel can have an effect on sleep. To get a good night sleep your room should be dark, quiet, and cool. A good room temperature for sleep is 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures below 54 degrees and above 75 degrees have been shown to be very disruptive to your sleep.