Research demonstrates that men and women have different needs – even when it comes to sleep. This is important because most women also have more sleep problems than men. In fact, according to research about two-thirds of women have problems sleeping a few nights each week. With this in mind, here are some women tips you should check out.
Keep Your Bedroom Cool
For better sleep, you’ll need a cool bedroom. The optimal temperature is a low of 60 and a high of 67 degrees Fahrenheit. To do this you may need to invest in a good fan. These women tips are especially important during the time of menstruation because your core body temperature rises then.
Get Into a Warm Bath or Take a hot Shower Before Bed
The next of the sleep tips is also based on body temperature. Most people don’t realize they start feeling sleepy when it drops. Once you realize this, it’s also important to see that there’s something you can do about it: Take a warm bath or shower before going to bed. When you enter your cool bedroom environment, you’ll find it easier to sleep.
Choose a Comfortable Position
Speaking of menstruation, one of the women tips that’s also important to mention here is right before and throughout menstruation you must find a sleeping position that makes your tender areas feel more comfortable. This is because you’ll feel cramping, nausea and muscle aches throughout this time so try to sleep on your side or back if you typically sleep on your stomach. This will help minimize your symptoms while you’re sleeping.
Additionally, you may want to engage in relaxing activities that’ll help reduce any feelings of anxiety or depression you may have at this time of the month. This includes things like deep breathing, maintaining a “worry log,” and prayer or meditation.
Be Careful What you eat and Drink Near Bedtime
Eating a big meal near bedtime can cause you to have digestive issues, especially during menstruation. At this time, things like indigestion, nausea, and diarrhea are already common. You don’t want to give them any added ammunition.
Additionally, it’s important to understand that things like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine won’t only make it difficult to fall asleep but they’ll also make it more challenging to stay asleep once you do manage to fall asleep. This is why one of the few sleep tips here that applies to both men and women is to avoid these things in the late afternoon and evening.
Set up a Bedroom That’s Conducive to Sleeping
Not all your sleep issues have to do with your body, that’s why these sleep tips are sometimes overlooked. However, when it comes to your bedroom, you should make sure to keep it:
- Quiet: Noise will disrupt your sleep and leave you feeling less than refreshed. If you can’t get rid of the sounds in your bedroom, at least mask them with some white noise (e.g. a fan will help with this and keeping you cool too).
- Dark: Light is responsible for maintaining your circadian rhythm (sleep/wake schedule). This is why even dim light can disrupt your sleep. For this sleep tip, make sure you use blackout curtains and limit the use of electronics.
Maintain a Consistent Schedule
Your circadian rhythm is so important you’ll want to make sure you maintain a consistent schedule so you don’t harm it. Additionally, when you get into bed at similar times each night your body anticipates and prepares itself for sleep. This means you’ll feel sleepier, so you’ll fall asleep faster. As such, it’s a good idea to have a bedtime routine that’ll help your mind and body relax as it transitions to sleep.
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