Getting good sleep can mean the difference between a great day and a terrible one. It can boost your mood, your cognitive abilities, and even your physical health. When you don’t get the rest you need, however, your mind and body pay the price. This is a reality that many veterans must face every day if they’re dealing with anxiety, stress, or PTSD–all of which interfere with sleep.
If you’re a veteran who is suffering from inadequate sleep, consider making a few changes to your lifestyle to help you relax and make rest a priority. Here are a few ideas on how to easily implement these changes.
Reduce Stress Levels
Everyone has stress. But, when it reaches certain levels, it can impact your ability to sleep well. Insomnia comes in many forms. When you’re feeling stressed, it can leave you tossing and turning for hours. Think about how you might reduce those feelings. For instance, if they’re work-related stressors–talk to your supervisor or coworkers for support. Or, you might look for ways to relax throughout the day. For example, take a walk on your lunch break or practice yoga. If you suffer from anxiety, depression, or PTSD, consider talking to a counselor or looking for a support group online that can help you vent your thoughts. Talking to someone who understands what you’re feeling can make a big difference when it comes to your mental health. Having that outlet can remove some of the burdens keeping you from getting rest.
Test a New Mattress
Often, a person’s mattress and bedding are the culprits behind sleep troubles. Take a look at your current mattress and consider whether a new one would make a significant difference. If it’s not big enough for both you and your partner to sleep comfortably, you’ll want to think about going up a size. If you’re currently using a full, a queen-sized mattress offers more room and doesn’t take up much space, and these popular bed sizes are very affordable. When shopping around, pay attention to the kind of sleeper you are. Are you a hot sleeper? Do you prefer to sleep on your back, stomach, or side? Your sleep style will play a role in the necessary firmness of your mattress. For example, Nectar, which works for all sleep styles, carries a memory foam mattress that allows you to sink in deep and get comfy, while the Purple mattress is top-rated for airflow, which is great for hot sleepers.
Change Your Environment
Your mattress is just one aspect of your sleep environment. You can also make changes to the temperature, lighting, linens, and technology inside your bedroom. Soft illumination rather than harsh lighting can make a big difference in your ability to relax, so change out your light bulbs or dim the lights altogether before bed. If you tend to watch TV or scroll through your phone before you hit the hay, turn off the screens at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light these devices emit can interfere with sleep. Hot sleepers will benefit from a fan that keeps things cool. You can also change out your bedding for light layers and soft fabric to help you relax.
Change Your Diet
Just as there are certain changes you can make in your sleep environment in order to rest easy, there are things you can add and subtract from your diet that will help you get a better night’s sleep. Obviously, caffeine and sugar are no-nos before bed. You should also stay away from red meat and big meals at night because they can take a long time to digest. Almonds, turkey, and fresh cherries, on the other hand, are excellent foods for promoting sleep. They have multiple health benefits aside from that as well.
Get Outside
Spending time outdoors has multiple benefits for your physical and mental health, and it can work wonders for your mood. Fortunately, it can also help you get to sleep faster and stay there longer, and if you can incorporate an activity as well, you’ll reap even more benefits. Daily exercise is also a great way to get your body and mind ready for rest, so think about what you can do outside each day to get in a workout. Walking, running, swimming, playing a sport, or even just walking the dog are all wonderful ways to get active outdoors.
Boosting your mental health and getting better sleep go hand in hand. In fact, one can directly affect the other. That’s why it’s so important to take your overall health into consideration when you’re thinking of ways to form better sleep habits. With a few small changes to your lifestyle, you can learn how to get better rest without adding stress. These steps will help you feel better overall.
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