How to Sleep Better for Your Mental Health

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When it comes to health and mental wellness, most people overlook the importance of sleep. But the truth is that getting enough high-quality sleep every night is vital to our long-term well-being. Since the brain and body undergo essential restorative processes during sleep, sleep deprivation can contribute to a whole mess of physical ailments and mental disorders. Check out the below resources from Optimal Fitness to learn how you can improve your sleep and enjoy better days!

Rethink Your Sleep Environment

Making a few tweaks to your bedroom can help you fall asleep faster and reduce the frequency of night-time waking.

• Do some redecorating to turn your bedroom into a calming sleep sanctuary.
• Burn some sage to clear out bad vibes from your bedroom.
• Your body temperature naturally drops during sleep. If your bedroom gets too warm at night, the heat can make it difficult to fall and stay asleep.

• If you don’t have air conditioning, try angling a fan towards your bed so it can blow directly on you while you sleep.
• Sleep in loose pajamas in breathable fabrics so you don’t overheat.
• Pregnant women and new moms can find stylish options that simplify nighttime feedings to minimize disruptions in your sleep schedule.

Banish Stress From the Bedroom

If stress is keeping you up at night, look for ways to treat stress through healthy daytime habits like exercising and eating nutritious foods.

• Consider hiring a wellness professional for help with meal planning, mental health treatment, and fitness guidance.
• Exercise daily to reduce stress hormones, relieve muscle tension, and support your brain health.
• Optimal Fitness has a variety of classes to help you break a sweat in the name of better health.
• Eat foods packed with stress-fighting vitamins and minerals.
• Wind down in the evening with a relaxing yoga routine. Yoga can also help alleviate back pain, joint pain, or muscle stiffness that’s disrupting your sleep.

Try Natural Remedies

If you could use some extra help relieving stress and relaxing for the night, consider trying some natural supplements like magnesium and l-theanine.

• Research suggests that magnesium supplements can improve sleep quality while also enhancing the treatment of anxiety and depression.
• L-theanine promotes relaxation by calming the body’s stress response.
• If you need to treat occasional insomnia, trymelatoninbefore reaching for addictive prescription sleeping pills.
• Taking steps to improve your sleep is the ultimate act of self-care. When you sleep well, you’ll find it much easier to cope with stress, anxiety, depression, or any other mental concern that you’re experiencing. Try incorporating some of these healthy sleep habits into your routine today!

By Cheryl Conklin