Categories: HealthPublic Health

The ultimate bedtime routine for the perfect night’s sleep revealed by experts

EXPERTS have revealed the ultimate bedtime routine to get a sound night’s sleep.

The simple formula ensures you’ll get to sleep quickly, while waking up refreshed, too.

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Wake up feeling ready for the day with this sleep routineCredit: Alamy

Zoma Sleep – a performance-enhancing sleep brand for athletes and busy people – created the guide with experts in light of how many people are not getting enough shut-eye.

The firm’s survey of 1,000 people showed that 51 per cent of Americans surveyed are skipping sleep to get work done.

This can spell trouble as sleep deprivation is associated with a variety of serious health problems, such as depression and heart disease.

James Nguyen, of Zoma Sleep, said: “It’s becoming easier than ever to get consumed by the daily grind.

“When this is combined with increased use of devices before bed, it is clear to see that natural sleep cycles for many may be under strain at the moment.”

FOUR HOURS BEFORE BED

Exercise

“Although morning is generally regarded as the best time to exercise, exercising a few hours before bed can help improve sleep quality, while also giving the body time to re-adjust before bed”, James said.

In 2018, 23 studies were reviewed and found that evening exercise helped adults fall asleep faster and spend more time in deep sleep than adults who did not.

Sports Medicine published the findings. They found that those who exercised less than an hour before bedtime had a slower time falling asleep and a poorer quality sleep.

It’s thought exercise can induce sleep because it produces helpful hormones, like serotonin.

The exercise can cause your body temperature to rise, then fall over a few hours. This can facilitate sleepiness. 

THREE HOURS BEFORE BED

Eat dinner

You shouldn’t go to bed on an either a full or empty stomach.

Eating around three hours before bed “allows the stomach to properly digest food and focus on preparing for sleep,” James said. 

You should not try to sleep while your body is still digesting food. This could lead to heartburn and distract from the body’s natural rhythm.

Snacking close to bed could cause your blood sugar levels to rise, increasing energy right when you want to fall asleep. 

But avoid eating too early in the evening because you might go to bed hungry, “and if the body lacks the calories it needs to recharge, it will hold on to carbs and fats instead of using them as fuel”, James said, suggesting weight gain.

TWO HOURS BEFORE BED

Drink caffeine-free herbal tea or warm milk

When you’re settling down for some TV binging in the last hours before bed, have a comforting decaf hot drink. 

“A herbal tea such as chamomile contains Apigenin, a therapeutic antioxidant which can help reduce anxiety and initiate sleep,” James said. 

“Whereas milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid which increases serotonin and melatonin levels that help to induce sleep.”

Some foods like chicken, turkey, canned tuna and cheese contain tryptophan.

James said: “Drinking two hours before bed reduces the risk of going to bed with a full bladder, and therefore should lead to an undisturbed sleep.”

90 MINUTES BEFORE BED

“Bathing in a lukewarm bath or shower before bed can aid sleep – as the body cools down after bathing, this is a signal for the brain that it is time to sleep,” James said.

“It also means going to bed clean.”

According to science, a bath or shower one to two hours before going to bed will improve your sleep quality and speed.

The paper in Sleep Medicine Reviews cautioned that too close to bedtime, hot water may disrupt the body’s clock.

Submerging in hot water will raise the body’s core temperature, and it needs time to come back down to signal to the brain it is bed time.

ONE HOUR BEFORE BED

Put down the devices and set alarm based on sleep cycle

James said: “Electronic screens emit blue light, which stimulates and alerts the brain, while preventing the release of melatonin.

“High smartphone use before bed has also been linked to impaired sleep, depression and anxiety.”

A number of studies have shown that late-night scrolling tricks the brain into thinking it’s still daytime, preventing nodding off. 

James recommends that you go to bed at a time that fits your sleep cycle.

Each sleep cycle takes 90 minutes, and includes different stages of sleep.

If your alarm goes off halfway through deep sleep or REM sleep, when dreaming and memory storing happens, you’ll likely feel groggy. 

But if you wake at the end of your 90 minute cycle, you’ll feel more refreshed.

“Therefore, it’s a good idea to calculate the sleep cycle and work backwards to figure out the best time to go to sleep and wake up,” James said.

To get up at 7am, count in 90-minute cycles and then add 14 minutes. This is the average amount of time it takes to fall asleep. You’ll be looking at hitting the sack at either 9.45pm or 11.15pm.

30 MINUTES BEFORE BED

Light static stretching and get into bed

“Five minutes of light stretching and slow deep breathing will help the mind and body relax before bed,” James said.

“It’s important not to get into bed too early, and only when ready to sleep. This ensures the brain associates the bed with sleeping only.”

No TV watching, eating, and chilling in your bed.

NHS doctor says hitting the snooze button kickstarts another ‘sleep cycle’ while checking your phone ‘puts you on edge’

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