Daytime Comfort: Sleeping Well When The Sun Shines

Sleep is an essential part of our lives, and getting a good night's rest is crucial for our overall health and well-being. While we often focus on getting enough sleep at night, it's also important to ensure we're getting comfortable and restful sleep during the day, especially for those who work night shifts or have irregular schedules. Here are some tips to help you sleep comfortably during the day:

- Create a comfortable sleep environment: Keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark. Use earplugs, eye masks, or blackout curtains to block out light and noise.

- Optimize your sleep position: Sleep on your side or back for better spinal alignment. Use pillows to support your neck, head, and knees.

- Stick to a consistent sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body's internal clock.

- Limit exposure to blue light: Avoid screens and electronic devices at least an hour before your daytime sleep. Blue light disrupts your sleep hormone melatonin.

- Exercise regularly: Engage in daily physical activity, but avoid intense workouts too close to your daytime sleep. Morning or afternoon exercises can improve your sleep quality.

- Be mindful of what you eat and drink: Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to your daytime sleep. Limit heavy meals and spicy foods, and opt for a light, healthy snack instead.

- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine: Wind down with activities such as reading, listening to soothing music, or practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation.

- Use supplements: Discuss with your doctor the use of melatonin or natural sleep aids like valerian, chamomile, or glycine to help you fall asleep more easily during the day.

Keep your room cool, dark and quiet

Keeping your room cool, dark, and quiet is essential for a good night's sleep. Here are some tips to achieve that:

Keep Your Room Cool

A cool environment is ideal for sleeping. Aim for a temperature between 60°F and 68°F (15.6°C to 19.4°C). This range is considered optimal for most people, but you can adjust it slightly to suit your personal preference. If your room is too warm, consider opening a window or turning down the thermostat.

Make Your Room Dark

External light can interfere with your sleep, so it's best to use blackout curtains or shades to block out light from windows. Alternatively, you can try wearing an eye mask to block out light while you sleep. Keeping your room dark will help your body produce melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep.

Minimize Noise

Noise can be distracting and prevent you from falling asleep or wake you up during the night. If you can't eliminate noise from your surroundings, try using a fan or a white noise machine to drown out the disturbing sounds. You can also use earplugs to block out the noise and create a quieter environment for sleeping.

Exercise during the day, but not too close to bedtime

Exercising during the day is a great way to improve your sleep quality, but it's important to avoid working out too close to bedtime. Here are some tips to help you get a good night's sleep by exercising at the right time:

Listen to Your Body

While exercising during the day can help you fall asleep faster and improve your sleep quality, everyone is different. Listen to your body and observe how your sleep is affected by the timing of your workouts. If you find that exercising too late in the day interferes with your sleep, adjust your workout schedule accordingly.

Allow Enough Time Before Bed

Exercising increases your core body temperature and stimulates the release of endorphins, which can keep you awake. To get a good night's sleep, make sure to finish your workout at least 1-2 hours before bedtime. This will give your body temperature enough time to drop and the endorphin levels to decrease, allowing your body to wind down and prepare for sleep.

Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Stick to a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends. This helps to regulate your body's internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep at night and improving your overall sleep quality.

Consider the Intensity of Your Workouts

The intensity of your workouts can also impact your sleep. If you're doing high-intensity or vigorous exercise, it's best to avoid doing this within 1-2 hours of bedtime. Opt for moderate-intensity workouts instead, as they are less likely to disrupt your sleep.

Take Advantage of the Morning or Afternoon

Exercising in the morning or afternoon can provide additional benefits for your sleep. Morning exercise can stimulate earlier melatonin release and expose you to natural light, both of which help stabilize your circadian rhythm. Afternoon or early evening workouts can promote sound sleep by lowering levels of orexin, a neurotransmitter that promotes wakefulness.

Be Mindful of Any Health Conditions

If you have any underlying health conditions, such as high blood pressure, you may need to be strategic about the timing of your workouts. For example, exercising in the morning may lead to greater improvements in sleep quality and nighttime blood pressure for those at risk of high blood pressure. Always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider to determine the best exercise routine for your specific needs.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine before bed

Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine are all stimulants that can negatively impact your sleep quality and duration. Caffeine is a drug that acts as a stimulant, both mentally and physically. It can be found in many everyday foods and drinks, such as tea, coffee, chocolate, and cola. It can make it harder to fall asleep, cause lighter sleep, and increase the need to urinate during the night. To improve your sleep, it is best to limit your caffeine intake and avoid it entirely at least 4 hours before bedtime.

Similarly, nicotine is a stimulant that can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. It can also increase breathing disorders that impact sleep, such as asthma and sleep apnea. If you smoke, it is best to avoid nicotine altogether, especially for at least 2 hours before bed.

While alcohol may make you feel sleepy initially, it actually disrupts your sleep later in the night. It can cause more frequent awakenings, night sweats, nightmares, and headaches, resulting in less restful sleep. To improve your sleep quality, avoid consuming alcohol at least 4 hours before bedtime.

Eat dinner a few hours before bed and opt for a light snack if you're hungry later

Eating dinner a few hours before bed and opting for a light snack if you're hungry later is a great way to improve your sleep quality. Here are some detailed tips to help you implement this strategy effectively:

• Timing is key: Aim to finish dinner at least two to three hours before bedtime. This gives your body enough time to digest the meal and prevents you from feeling uncomfortably full or experiencing indigestion as you try to sleep.
• Choose the right foods: Opt for a balanced and nutritious dinner. A Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats is a great choice. Avoid heavy, rich, spicy, or acidic foods close to bedtime, as these can cause stomach issues and heartburn.
• Keep portions in mind: Avoid overeating at dinner. Large portions or heavy meals close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep. Instead, aim for a satisfying but moderate portion size.
• Listen to your body: If you find yourself getting hungry again later in the evening, don't ignore your body's signals. A light snack before bed can be beneficial for some people. Choose something that is easily digestible and won't leave you feeling too full. Examples include half a turkey sandwich or a small bowl of whole-grain, low-sugar cereal.
• Avoid disruptive foods and drinks: Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can all negatively impact your sleep. Avoid consuming these substances close to bedtime. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that can make it difficult to fall asleep and disrupt your sleep quality. While alcohol may make you feel drowsy initially, it can interfere with your sleep cycle later in the night.
• Stay hydrated, but be mindful: Drinking enough fluids during the day is important, but try to limit your fluid intake in the evening. Drinking large amounts of liquids before bed can lead to frequent bathroom trips during the night, disrupting your sleep.
• Create a bedtime snack routine: If you regularly feel hungry before bed, incorporate a light snack into your bedtime routine. This can help signal to your body that it's time to wind down and prepare for sleep.
• Experiment and find what works for you: Everyone's body is unique. Pay attention to how your body responds to different foods and eating schedules. You may find that certain foods help you sleep better or that specific eating patterns improve your sleep quality. Use this knowledge to create a personalised plan that works for you.

Reserve your bed for sleep and sex only

If you have a comfortable bed, you may be tempted to spend your leisure time in it, but this can cause problems when it's time to sleep. You want a strong mental association between your bed and sleep, so try to keep activities in your bed limited strictly to sleep and sex.

How to Achieve This

• Make sure your bed is comfortable. Your bed covers should leave you enough room to stretch and turn comfortably without becoming tangled.
• Avoid working, watching TV, or using your phone, tablet, or computer in bed.
• If you have a desk in your bedroom, try to do your work there instead of in your bed.
• If you can, do other activities like gaming in another room.

Frequently asked questions