Sleep doesn't just make you feel good; it makes you function better from the inside out.
There’s no denying that a restful night’s sleep is one of the most incredibly refreshing and reenergizing things you can experience. Waking up feeling rested and ready to tackle the day is a phenomenal feeling.
Getting a good night's sleep isn't something you need to do only to feel good and boost your mood—your body and mind need it to effectively repair themselves and prepare for what's to come the next day.
And if you’ve ever struggled with insomnia, not getting enough sleep, or just generally unrestful sleep, you know the havoc it can wreak on your physical and mental performance. By shifting some of your habits and environmental factors, you can maximize your sleep and reap all the benefits that regular, restful sleep delivers.
Want to learn more about how you can achieve a more restful night’s sleep? Read on to learn more so you can maximize your mental and physical performance through sleep.
Benefits of Sleep
It’s no secret that sleep can lead to declined cognitive function. You've likely felt this yourself if you've ever tossed and turned all night or only slept a few hours. When sleep study participants were asked to conduct various mental and physical activities, those groups who enjoyed adequate sleep performed better in testing and training environments and even exhibited gains in memory function over their sleep-deprived counterparts.
Sleep also plays a critical role at the cellular level, helping to repair our cells and prepare them for physical activity and peak internal performance. Recent studies have shown that when research subjects get more effective and efficient sleep, their physical output was higher than those with less efficient sleep.
In other words, if you're looking for a way to increase your mental and physical performance, adjusting your sleep habits and getting higher quality sleep is crucial.
Tips for Improving Sleep
If you're looking to maximize your sleep to achieve better overall physical and mental function, read on about how you can improve the amount and quality of sleep you're getting through proven sleep hygiene practices.
Set a Structured Sleep Schedule
Setting a schedule for when you go to bed and wake up each day can help normalize your sleep patterns. Getting into a routine and sticking to it can help your body more readily fall to sleep and stay asleep. Once you've established a sleep schedule, try not to stray from it too much, even though it may be tempting to stay up late or sleep in on the weekends. If you need to shift your sleep times, it's critical to do that gradually in incremental steps, so your body adjusts accordingly.
Don’t Overdo it With Naps
Naps can be a great way to give you a much-needed recharge, but over-napping can be detrimental to the restfulness of your sleep quality at night. Limit your naps to short durations and try to do them by early afternoon if you need them.
Set a Nightly Routine
Having a routine each night can help your body wind down and prepare itself for sleep. Try to put away electronics and turn off that TV at least 30 minutes before bedtime to give your body time to calm down. Dimming your lights is also a great way to help your body ramp up melatonin production, which will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep once you do go to bed. Engaging in calming practices such as reading, meditation, music, or light stretching can be great ways to wind your body down for rest. Once you establish your bedtime routine, stick to it. When it comes to sleep, our bodies crave predictability.
Cultivate Good Daily Habits
The things you do during the day can help you sleep more restfully. Getting some sunshine during that day is not only a mood booster, but it helps regulate your circadian rhythms. Enjoying exercise has proven benefits in promoting better sleep, too, so get out there and get moving if you're not already. Reducing alcohol and caffeine consumption, especially in the evenings, is another strategy to promote better sleep quality.
Find What Works for You
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to improving sleep but following these tips may provide some answers to how you can enjoy a more restful sleep. For some people, using some of the above strategies while leveraging the benefits of a quality supplement is the answer to better sleep. Our recommendation is BELDT Labs Bedrock Series 5-HTP Plus. This natural supplement helps promote a calm mental state by reducing stress and anxiety, which can be a welcome addition to your bedtime routine in addition to its appetite suppression benefits.
