With the pandemic still looming over us, it has become increasingly imperative to boost our immunity. While a healthy diet, exercise and hygiene play an important role, we should also focus on adequate sleep! Getting good quality sleep every night helps the T-Cells in our body fight off infections. Poor sleep increases inflammation and there’s a likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases as well. 

How to Improve Sleep Quality

In case you are not getting adequate rest or aren’t getting any quality sleep or are facing issues falling asleep, we have some tips to help you out: 

1. Bedtime and wake up time should be the same. Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time daily. Practice the same routine on weekends too. 
2. Maintain Sleep Hygiene: Do not consume alcohol 6 hours before bedtime. Also avoid caffeine 4 hours before sleeping and do not smoke before going to bed.  
3. Limit Screen Time: Stay away from your gadgets and mobile phones at least an hour before sleeping. Put your phones on DND mode for uninterrupted rest.
4. Environment Is Everything: Keep your bedroom environment clean, calm, dark and quiet. Make sure that your mattress and pillows are comfortable. 
5. Eat a Light Dinner: Strictly avoid heavy meals at night and finish your dinner 2-3 hours before going to bed. If possible, go for a light walk after dinner every day. 
6. In case you find it difficult to fall asleep, you can listen to light to soothing music 45 minutes before bedtime. Music generally soothes our nerves, reduces stress levels, and helps us fall asleep faster. 
7. Deep breathing is a very effective tool for inducing good quality sleep. Do deep breathing 10 minutes before bedtime daily to improve your sleep and reduce stress levels. You can also try these breathing techniques: https://goqii.com/blog/breathing-techniques-for-better-sleep/  
8. A Lukewarm Shower 1-2 hours before bed is a well-known remedy for sleeplessness. It significantly improves sleep quality and reduces anxiety.
9. Lavender oil is used for aromatherapy which improves sleep quality, especially for people who are fighting with insomnia, depression, and anxiety. You can put  2-3 drops of lavender oil on your wrist or pillow at night, it will soothe your nerves and help you fall asleep easily.

If you’ve tried the above techniques and still face issues with sleeping, start drinking warm milk with a pinch of nutmeg or turmeric 30 minutes before bedtime. It should help. If sleeplessness issues persist, consider speaking to your doctor. 

For more techniques on how to sleep and to learn about sleep-related issues, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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