Improve sleep quality: 10 tips to sleep better

A regular sleep-wake rhythm is essential to sleep better in the long term. To do this, try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day – even at the weekend.

After around 100 days, the body should get used to fixed bedtimes, which will make it easier to fall asleep, sleep through the night and wake up in the morning. A stable rhythm trains your internal clock and helps to avoid or manage sleep disorders.

Good sleep hygiene refers to healthy behaviours and rituals that promote sleep and improve sleep quality. This includes, for example, taking enough time to relax before going to bed, brushing your teeth and feeling comfortable in your body. Wearing comfortable pyjamas made from natural materials can also have a positive effect on your sleep hygiene.

In the hours before bedtime, you should avoid stimulating activities like watching TV, intensive sports sessions or writing work e-mails and the like. The following tip can help you find healthy rituals for the evening.

To sleep better, it’s helpful to develop a calming evening routine that is tailored to you and your needs. It should help you to let go of the day, relax and prepare your body for sleep. For example, you could read a book, meditate or listen to soft music. Breathing and yoga exercises or a warm bath can also help to relieve the stress of the day and put your body into rest mode.

Caffein and nicotine are stimulants that can keep you awake and prevent you from falling asleep. Caffeinated drinks like coffee, black tea or cola should be avoided, especially in the evening, so as not to impair the quality of your sleep. The consumption of nicotine and alcohol also has a stimulating effect on the nervous system and should be avoided before going to bed.

Regular exercise during the day helps your body to rest better. Sporting activities ensure that you are not only mentally but also physically relaxed in the evening. You also release happiness hormones during exercise, while stress levels drop and the quality of your sleep improves.

Nevertheless, it’s advisable to avoid intense physical activity in the late evening. It will raise your pulse rate and get you too excited, which can make it harder to fall asleep.

A heavy meal just before bedtime can put a strain on the body and reduce the quality of sleep. Unhealthy carbohydrates like sugar and wheat are particularly difficult to metabolise and keep the digestive tract active, making it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Therefore, try to eat your last meal at least two hours before going to bed. If you still get hungry, try to have a light snack like yoghurt or some fruit.

An unsuitable sleeping environment can massively impair the quality of sleep. To avoid this, your bedroom should be as dark and quiet as possible. Blackout curtains or sleep masks help to keep out disturbing light, while earplugs can be effective against noise. A relaxing, uncluttered room design and calming colours can also contribute to peace and quiet – even if you can’t see them at night.

A healthy sleeping environment should be quiet, dark and comfortable. Make sure that your bedroom is well ventilated and has a pleasantly cool temperature of around 18 °C. Calming room fragrances like lavender, sandalwood or jasmine are also said to promote sleep. On the other hand, you should avoid chaos, bright colours, cool lights and work utensils in the bedroom.

The bed also plays an important role. A comfortable mattress, a cosy pillow and nightwear suitable for the season ensure comfort and help balancing the body’s temperature.

A short nap can be refreshing. Nevertheless, you should be aware that a nap that is too long or too late can disrupt your night’s sleep and make it difficult to fall asleep. Therefore, try to limit your midday nap to a maximum of 20 to 30 minutes and don’t lie down in the afternoon. However, if you continue to have problems falling asleep, there may be other causes.

Make sure that your bed is primarily associated with sleep. Because if you spend a lot of time in bed during the day and even study or work in it, your brain will lose the connection between bed and sleep or relaxation. So, avoid eating, working or watching TV in bed and only go there in the evening.

Evening use of smartphones, tablets or laptops can significantly impair sleep, as the blue screen light inhibits the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Therefore, try to avoid electronic devices and other artificial light sources or stimulating media at least one hour before going to bed. Instead, you can focus on activities that help you to calm down.

Restful sleep is essential for health, as the body regenerates during the night and carries out important metabolic processes. While you sleep, the immune system is strengthened, cell damage is repaired and memories are processed, among other things. Sufficient sleep also reduces the risk of cardiovascular problems, diabetes and many other diseases.

Although sleep requirements vary from person to person, most adults need around 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to feel refreshed the next day. Those who sleep too little, on the other hand, risk not only physical but also mental problems like poor concentration, irritability and a general decline in performance.

Auch wenn der Schlafbedarf von Mensch zu Mensch variiert, brauchen die meisten Erwachsenen etwa 7 bis 9 Stunden Schlaf pro Nacht, um sich am nächsten Tag erholt zu fühlen. Wer zu wenig schläft, riskiert hingegen nicht nur körperliche, sondern auch mentale Probleme wie Konzentrationsschwäche, Reizbarkeit und einen allgemeinen Rückgang der Leistungsfähigkeit.

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