Waking up feeling well rested is step one to ensuring you have a great work day. Without a clear mind and a rested body, you wont be able to perform your job at your optimum level. Take care of yourself! Make sure you get an appropriate amount of sleep each night by using these helpful tips.
Circadian Rhythm
An article written for sciencedaily.com explains, “In a strict sense, circadian rhythms are endogenously generated, although they can be modulated by external cues such as sunlight and temperature.
Circadian rhythms are important in determining the sleeping and feeding patterns of all animals, including human beings. There are clear patterns of brain wave activity, hormone production, cell regeneration and other biological activities linked to this daily cycle.” This rhythm is responsible for producing hormones such as melatonin that can help with improved sleep. You can also blame your circadian rhythm for your typical 3 pm exhaustion. The good news is that you have the power to control this daily cycle that your body goes through. With some minor tweaks, you can help yourself get better sleep each night.
Melatonin Rich Foods
Your body naturally creates melatonin, a hormone that helps you get night of solid rest. If you’re having trouble sleeping, you might want to consider adding some melatonin rich foods into your diet. The following list of food contains tryptophan in each item. An article written for alaskasleep.com states, “Tryptophan is an amino acid that when ingested gets turned into the neurotransmitter serotonin and then converted into the hormone melatonin. Here are some some of the best foods loaded with tryptophan: dairy products (milk, low-fat yogurt, cheese), poultry (turkey, chicken), seafood (shrimp, salmon, halibut, tuna, sardines, cod), nuts and seeds (flax, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts), legumes (kidney beans, Lima beans, black beans split peas, chickpeas), fruits (apples, bananas, peaches, avocado), vegetables (spinach, broccoli, turnip greens, asparagus, onions, seaweed), and grains (wheat, rice, barley, corn, oats). Incorporating these foods into your diet can help your circadian rhythm get on a cycle that will consistently help you achieve better sleep. Consider upping your magnesium and calcium as well to help you with any poor sleep habits or insomnia you may be experiencing.
Additional Tips
Did you know that exposure to natural light during the day can help you sleep better at night? If you work in a office all day, take advantage of your lunch break in order to spend some time outside. There are other obvious tips to ensuring better sleep which include things such as not drinking caffeine in the afternoon, taking a relaxing bath or shower, and keeping your room dark. These are all great tips that you’re hopefully already implementing.
It can be hard to focus on anything other than how tired you feel when you don’t sleep well. Do yourself a favor and take time to dial in your bedtime routine. Your efficiency, as well as your outlook will improve tremendously.
