What if I told you I love my sleep? Sleeping well is my priority. If I don’t clock in my 7 -8 hours of rest every night, I am incredibly sluggish and irritable the following day. I find it difficult to concentrate and stay awake, plus I cannot get my required mileage in the next day. I am not alone in feeling this way after a sleep-deprived night. Research shows that sleep loss and poor-quality sleep lead to accidents and injuries on the job. 

Just this month, we all experienced an hour of sleep loss due to daylight-savings time. The daylight-saving time change forces us to spring forward and advance our clocks one hour. Waking up Monday morning that week was not so easy for me. I had to miss my early morning weightlifting sessions on Monday and Wednesday that week because I woke up feeling so tired. Having lost an hour of precious sleep and driving to the gym in the dark even with an extra cup of coffee was not appealing at all.

Take it from me; a good night’s sleep is just as important as regular exercise and a healthy diet. Research shows that poor sleep has immediate adverse effects on your hormones, exercise performance, and brain function. Sleep is essential for your heart health too. In a research study published in the American Heart Association’s journal, heart failure incidents were also lower for early risers, people who slept 7–9 hours each day, people without frequent insomnia, and those who reported experiencing no daytime sleepiness. Short sleep duration is found to be connected to higher BMIs and obesity. Sleep deprivation makes it easier to eat more and reach for the sugary treats.

In contrast, quality sleep has many benefits. It can help you eat healthier, exercise better, and decrease your risk of chronic diseases. To optimize your health, getting the nightly z’s is one of the most important things you can do.

Here are three ways you can make sure that you log in good quality sleep every night.

Daylight exposure

Our bodies have a natural 24-hour cycle called the circadian rhythm. This clock affects our brain, body, and hormones to make us sleepy at night naturally. One way to have a consistent circadian rhythm is to expose yourself to natural sunlight or bright light during waking hours. Natural sunlight or bright light during the day gives a daytime energy boost and nighttime sleep quality.

A research study found that for insomniacs, daytime bright light exposure improved sleep quality and duration. 

Get your daily dose of sunlight exposure. You will have sufficient vitamin D levels and a good night’s sleep. If it’s not practical to have sunlight exposure, invest in an artificial bright light bulb.

Blue light at night

Blue light emitted by electronic devices like smartphones and computers is not good at night. Exposure to excessive blue light at night has the opposite effect on our bodies. This is due to our circadian rhythm. The blue light exposure tricks our brains into thinking it’s daytime. Our body produces a sleep hormone, melatonin, closer to bedtime. When we keep the exposure to blue light up during the evening, the melatonin levels can get affected. Exposure to blue light can be reduced by wearing blue light blocking glasses, installing an app, such as Flux to block blue light, and turning off all devices and bright lights two hours before bedtime.

Try to wind down before you sleep. Using this time to relax with a massage, listening to relaxing music, taking a hot bath, and meditating can help you get a better night’s rest.

Exercise daily

OK! I might be biased towards exercise but, exercise is one of the best scientifically proven ways to improve your sleep. It can enhance all aspects of sleep. In a study conducted on people with insomnia, exercise had more beneficial results than drugs. For the participants in this study, exercise helped reduce the time to fall asleep by 55% and total night wakefulness by 30%.

It’s best to exercise during the day. Due to epinephrine and adrenaline release, exercising too close to bedtime might make you more alert.

The cost of sleepless nights is more than just crankiness and less focus during the day. Regular sleep loss puts you at risk of serious medical conditions, including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Try to get in a healthy dose of sunlight during the day, limit exposure to electronic devices at night, and exercise daily. These three tricks will help you get a solid night’s sleep and enhance your health.