Sleep

Restorative sleep

Sleep is just as important to us as eating, drinking or breathing. After all, we sleep for about 25 years in our entire lives. However, there are many factors that can interfere with a good night’s sleep and cause you to always be tired. That’s why every fourth person in Germany suffers from sleep problems. With a few simple rules, however, such sleep disorders can be prevented. We explain everything you need to know about “sleep” and show you many useful tips and tricks with which you can easily get your sleep back under control.

Tips for good sleep

Good sleep starts with dinner. Make sure not to eat anything spicy, rich or hard to digest late at night. Digesting these foods can significantly disrupt sleep. In addition, you should generally make sure not to eat anything for two to three hours before going to bed. Drinks containing caffeine should be avoided at all costs four to six hours before the start of sleep, otherwise a good night’s sleep will not be possible. You should also make sure that your bedroom is darkened at night and that there is sufficient rest. The ideal sleeping temperature is about 18 degrees Celsius. In addition, you should stop exercising one to two hours before going to bed and make sure that your circulation gradually slows down.

Regular sleeping times

Man is a creature of habit. This is also true when it comes to sleep. It is very important that you have regular sleep times, so that the body can get used to them and the biological clock always knows when it is time to go to sleep and when it is time to wake up. In addition, you should refrain from taking an excessively long nap, otherwise you will not be able to fall asleep in the evening. A nap during the day should therefore not last longer than 15 to 20 minutes. If it should happen that you can’t fall asleep, don’t force it and don’t toss and turn in bed for hours. Instead, get up and try to fall asleep again after a few minutes. During this time, you can, for example, read something or make yourself a sleep-inducing tea.

How do I recognize a lack of sleep?

Lack of sleep is not something to be trifled with. Too little sleep can have a lot of negative effects on your body and comes with some risks. Many people who are sleep deprived have constant headaches and have a hard time concentrating. In addition, your eyes may burn or be very dry. Another sign of too little sleep is a permanent tiredness or exhaustion. This cannot be remedied by coffee or energy drinks, but only by getting enough sleep. If you don’t do anything about this exhaustion, you even risk microsleep and thus pose a real danger to those around you, for example when driving. Too little sleep also weakens the immune system and increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Lack of sleep also affects appetite. People who suffer from sleep deprivation often experience food cravings, which in the long run lead to obesity. In addition, long-term sleep deprivation increases the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease at an advanced age.