Herbie Murray
Feeling tired after work is a common issue, and it can be challenging to know how to boost your energy levels. There are several strategies to help you stay alert during the day, such as staying hydrated, taking a quick walk, listening to energizing music, and consuming caffeine. However, drinking coffee too late in the day can interfere with your sleep, so it's important to be mindful of your caffeine intake. Regular exercise can also reduce daytime sleepiness, but it's best to finish working out at least three hours before bedtime. In addition to these short-term fixes, improving your sleep hygiene and making lifestyle changes can help you feel more rested. This includes creating a dark, quiet, and cool bedroom environment and reducing screen time before bed.
What to do after work to sleep:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Stay hydrated | Drink water throughout your shift to stay alert and avoid dehydration |
| Avoid caffeine | Consume caffeine only at the start of your shift to avoid interfering with sleep |
| Healthy snacks | Eat healthy snacks with protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to keep blood sugar and attention steady |
| Avoid sugar and carbs | Avoid refined sugars, excessive carbs, and greasy foods to maintain energy levels |
| Regular exercise | Exercise regularly to reduce daytime sleepiness |
| Nap | Take a 10-30 minute power nap to improve alertness and avoid tiredness |
| Avoid screens | Limit screen time before bed to reduce exposure to light and improve sleep quality |
| Relax | Engage in relaxing activities and avoid stress before bedtime |
| Maintain sleep hygiene | Keep the bedroom dark, quiet, and cool to facilitate sleep |
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What You'll Learn
Light to moderate-intensity exercise, such as yoga, can help you sleep better
Exercise is a great way to improve your sleep quality. While it was previously believed that exercising in the evening could make it harder to fall asleep, recent studies have challenged this notion. Light to moderate-intensity exercises, such as yoga, can help you sleep better and fall asleep faster.
Yoga is a practice that began over 3,000 years ago and is grounded in Indian philosophy. It involves various postures or exercises, breathing techniques, and meditation practices. Yoga has many positive effects on wellness, including improved mental and emotional health, stress relief, pain relief, weight loss, and improved sleep.
When it comes to yoga for better sleep, the timing and type of yoga practice are important considerations. High-activity forms of yoga, such as Vinyasa or hot yoga, are considered moderate to high-intensity exercises. These practices can elevate the heart rate, so it is recommended to do them at least several hours before bedtime. For those who want to do yoga closer to bedtime, slower and more restorative types of yoga, such as Hatha yoga, are more suitable. Hatha yoga involves gentle body postures and breathing techniques, which can help induce sleep.
Breathing awareness and regulation are essential components of yoga. Deep breathing is a relaxation technique that can help you wind down and prepare for sleep. Additionally, mindfulness, which is a common element in many types of yoga, can increase melatonin levels, aiding in improving sleep quality.
To incorporate yoga into your bedtime routine, consider creating a schedule with weekly classes or designated practice times at home. This consistency can help improve your sleep quality over time. However, it is important to finish your yoga practice at least one hour before bedtime, giving your body enough time to wind down.
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Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol several hours before bed
Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can all negatively impact your sleep quality. Caffeine is a stimulant and the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world. It is commonly found in tea, coffee, chocolate, cola, and energy drinks. While it can make you feel more alert and less sleepy, its effects can linger for hours after you feel that initial jolt. Even if you are able to fall asleep after consuming caffeine, it could still be impacting your sleep stages without you realizing it.
To avoid this, it is recommended that you stop consuming caffeinated products at least three to eight hours before going to bed. This will give your body time to metabolize the caffeine and reduce its stimulating effects on your body. If you are particularly sensitive to caffeine, you may need to stop consuming it earlier in the day or opt for drinks with lower caffeine content, such as black or green tea.
Similarly, nicotine is also a stimulant that can make it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Cigarettes and vapes contain nicotine, which is used to promote alertness. Smoking or vaping before bed can disturb your sleep architecture, resulting in more nighttime awakenings and a non-refreshing sleep. It is best to avoid nicotine several hours before bed to give your body time to metabolize it and reduce its stimulating effects.
Alcohol can also impact your sleep quality. While it may make you feel sleepy initially, as your body metabolizes the alcohol, it can disrupt your sleep and reduce the quality of your sleep. Even modest amounts of alcohol can increase the frequency and intensity of sleep disorders such as snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome. It is recommended to avoid alcohol for at least three to four hours before bedtime. However, this may vary depending on individual factors, such as sensitivity to alcohol and medication use.
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Keep your room dark, cool, and quiet
Keeping your room dark, cool, and quiet is essential for a good night's sleep. Here are some tips to achieve that:
Keep your room dark
To create a dark environment in your room, it is important to address all sources of light. Sunlight, moonlight, security lights, and street lights can enter through windows, so consider investing in blackout curtains or blinds that are specifically designed to block out light. When properly installed, these can provide total darkness. Alternatively, you can cover your windows with aluminium foil, or use light-blocking shades, blackout film, or blackout fabric. You can also place a rolled-up towel against the gap between the door and the floor to block light from entering. If you prefer not to block light from entering your room, wearing an eye mask can be a good alternative.
Additionally, it is important to minimise the use of electronic devices and lights before bed. Blue light from digital clocks, charging stations, phones, laptops, and tablets can interfere with your sleep. Cover up or store these devices outside your bedroom, and avoid bright lights before bed. Opt for dim ambient lighting instead.
Keep your room cool
A cool bedroom temperature can benefit your body clock. Colder temperatures can mimic more natural conditions, which are beneficial for your body clock. You can achieve this by adjusting the temperature manually or using air conditioning.
Keep your room quiet
To keep your room quiet, ensure that you have a quiet environment before bedtime. Noisy or stressful activities can make it difficult to fall asleep.
By following these tips, you can create an optimal environment for a good night's sleep.
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Establish a sleep schedule and stick to it
A good sleep schedule is one of the most important things you can do to optimize your health. Here are some tips to help you establish a sleep schedule and stick to it:
Identify a target bedtime
Calculate a target bedtime that allows for at least seven hours of sleep. Work backward from the time you need to wake up and be consistent, even on weekends. It is almost impossible for your body to get used to a healthy sleep routine if you are constantly waking up at different times.
Wind down before bed
Start to relax as bedtime approaches. Reading, listening to music or a podcast, or meditation can all help you to relax. Avoid bright lights, stressful talks or activities, and electronic devices at least an hour before bed. The blue light from smartphones, computers, or tablets can negatively impact your sleep.
Avoid stimulants
Stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can make it difficult to fall asleep. Avoid consuming these at least 8 hours before bedtime. If you are craving a cup of coffee in the late afternoon or evening, opt for decaffeinated coffee.
Exercise
Regular physical exercise can help you relax and improve your sleep. However, avoid vigorous exercise 90 minutes before bedtime as it may interfere with your sleep. Listen to your body and choose a form of exercise that you enjoy and that works for you.
Maintain a sleep journal
Consider maintaining a daily sleep journal to track your sleep patterns and identify factors that may be helping or hindering your sleep. This can be especially useful if you are testing out a new sleep schedule or making changes to your sleep habits.
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Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime
Eating a heavy meal before bed can affect your digestion and sleep quality. It can also lead to weight gain and obesity over time. This is because eating a large meal so close to sleeping can affect your body's natural metabolic processes, with your body interpreting late eating as a signal that it is still in an active phase.
Experts recommend eating your last meal of the day at least two to four hours before bedtime. This allows your body time to digest and prepare for an optimal night of sleep. Eating a large meal before bed can cause indigestion, acid reflux, bloating, and heartburn, making it harder to fall and stay asleep.
If you're hungry before bed, opt for a light snack such as toast, fruit, or a small portion of nutrient-dense foods. Foods that are easier on the stomach, such as fish, tofu, beans, or lentils, are linked to better sleep quality. If you want to eat fats, stick to foods with unsaturated fats like avocado or nuts, and aim to finish eating them at least three to four hours before sleep.
It's also important to avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol before bed, as these substances can make it hard to get quality sleep. Instead, opt for warm, non-caffeinated drinks such as herbal tea, which can promote relaxation and improve your sleep onset.
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Frequently asked questions
Some habits that can help improve your sleep include limiting screen time and caffeine intake past noon, getting seven to nine hours of sleep, and going to bed at the same time every night.
Some pre-sleep activities that can help you relax include listening to soothing music, taking a hot shower or bath, drinking warm non-caffeinated tea, and doing light yoga poses or stretches.
Recent studies have shown that moderate-intensity exercises done in the evening can help improve sleep quality as long as they are completed at least one hour before bedtime. Vigorous workouts should be avoided at night as they can stimulate your nervous system and raise your heart rate, making it difficult to fall asleep.
Some ways to improve your sleep environment include limiting light exposure by keeping your room dark, reducing noise pollution, and maintaining a comfortable temperature of around 65°F (18.3°C).
