Getting enough sleep is just as important for a healthy lifestyle as eating well and exercising regularly. In fact, we spend roughly a third of our entire lives asleep, highlighting how crucial sleep is for our overall health and well-being. Unfortunately, the recent heatwave plaguing Nigeria has made it difficult for many to catch a good night’s sleep.

While you might not be able to control the weather, there are definitely steps you can take to improve your sleep habits and encourage a more restful night.

The following tips offer simple yet effective strategies to help you achieve better sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

Achieving a good night’s sleep is vital for a healthy lifestyle, along with maintaining a balanced diet and exercising regularly. Experts recommend adults aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night, but for a safe and reliable sleep schedule, eight hours is a good target.

A well-rested body is key to feeling energised and active throughout the day. Make sure you prioritise getting eight hours of sleep each night to allow your body to fully recharge.

Here’s a tip to regulate your sleep cycle: try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Consistency helps your body establish a natural sleep-wake rhythm. If you find yourself struggling to fall asleep after 20 minutes of tossing and turning, get out of bed and engage in a calming activity like reading, listening to calming music, or listening to a podcast. This will signal to your body that it’s not quite sleep time yet.

Finally, if you know you won’t be able to get a full eight hours of sleep at night due to unforeseen circumstances, try to catch up on some rest during the day with a short nap. Remember, napping for too long can disrupt your nighttime sleep, so keep it short and sweet.

Pay attention to your bedtime snacks and drinks. Don’t hit the hay with an empty stomach, but avoid heavy meals within a couple of hours of bedtime. Opt for a lighter option if you feel hungry in the evening.

Skip the stimulants before bed. Nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol might seem tempting in the evening, but they can wreak havoc on your sleep. Nicotine and caffeine are stimulants, and their effects can linger for hours, making it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Even though alcohol might lull you into sleep initially, it disrupts your sleep cycle later in the night, leading to fragmented sleep and leaving you feeling tired in the morning.

Your bedroom environment plays a big role in getting a good night’s sleep. Aim for a cool, dark, and quiet space. Light exposure in the evenings can make it harder to fall asleep, so consider using room-darkening shades or an eye mask to block out any light.

Similarly, the blue light emitted from electronic devices like phones and laptops can disrupt your sleep cycle. Avoid using these screens for at least an hour before bedtime.

If noise is a concern, earplugs can help muffle distracting sounds. To cool down the room, you can use a fan or air conditioner (depending on the climate). The key is to create a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere that helps you drift off to sleep easily.

Long naps during the day can make it harder to fall asleep at night. To avoid disrupting your nighttime sleep, limit naps to a maximum of one hour. Ideally, try to schedule naps for earlier in the day. This is why most parents avoid letting their kids sleep around 6-7 pm; they know it will affect their nighttime rest.

If you work night shifts and need to nap late in the day to catch up on sleep, that’s perfectly understandable. However, try to adjust your schedule whenever possible to avoid napping too close to bedtime.

Regular physical activity is fantastic for your overall health and well-being, and it can even improve your sleep quality. However, avoid strenuous exercise too close to bedtime, as it can energise you and make it harder to fall asleep.

A relaxed mind is key to a good night’s sleep. If worries and anxieties are swirling around in your head, it can be difficult to drift off. Here are some tips to help you clear your mind and prepare for sleep:

• Unburden your mind: Take a few minutes before bed to jot down any worries or concerns that are on your mind. Putting them on paper can help you let go of them for the night, knowing you can address them tomorrow.
• Embrace relaxation techniques: Consider incorporating stress management practices like meditation, yoga, or light exercise into your evening routine. These activities can help calm your mind and body, preparing you for sleep.
• Find your calm zone: Soothing music or calming podcasts can also be helpful tools for quieting your mind and promoting relaxation before bed.
• Don’t bottle it up: If you find yourself lying in bed dwelling on worries, it’s best to address them. Get out of bed, jot down your thoughts, or try a relaxation technique. Going to sleep with a racing mind will only make it harder to fall asleep.

Even if you follow all these tips for a good night’s sleep, there might still be times when you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep consistently. If this becomes a regular problem, it’s important to talk to your doctor.

They can help identify any underlying medical conditions that might be affecting your sleep and recommend the best course of treatment to finally get you the restful sleep you deserve.

Loving yourself doesn’t mean you always feel good; it means knowing you deserve respect and kindness, even when you make mistakes. It’s about focusing on how you feel about yourself, not just how others see you.

For example, after a date, focus on your own experience rather than obsessing over whether they liked you. If you fail a test, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, make a plan to improve.

Without self-love, you might feel worthless and struggle to believe that you deserve healthy relationships. You might even be drawn to people who confirm negative beliefs about yourself. This can be especially true if you have faced rejection or disapproval in the past or belong to a marginalised group.

Remember, we often gravitate towards what feels familiar, even if it’s not what’s truly good for us.