When talking about living a healthy lifestyle, people mention a lot of dos and don'ts. Exercise regularly. Don't skip meals. Get enough sunshine. Don't smoke. However, in the long list of dos and don'ts, many people still forget about including getting 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night. This is a big mistake because sleep also plays an important role in keeping one healthy.
If you're one of those who don't get seven to eight hours of quality sleep at night, then it's high time you do something about this. Fortunately, sometimes all you need to do to get enough sleep is to satisfy three of your basic senses when you go to bed.
Sense of touch
First, you must satisfy your sense of touch to be able to sleep better every night. Start with your mattress. Ideally, a mattress should have the right mix of softness and firmness to provide comfort and support for the body. It's basically the same for pillows. However, when choosing a mattress and pillow, you should also take into account your body's needs. For example, if you have back problems, you'll need a mattress that's firmer than average. Or, if you're a side sleeper, a thicker pillow is the best choice because it'll adequately fill the space between the bed and your neck and head. Of course, bed sheets, pillowcases, and cooling blankets are equally important. These are what actually touches your skin. Soft and breathable bedding will give you the most comfort, so go for cotton bed linens with at least a 300 thread count.
Sense of sight
Second, for a better night's sleep, you need to satisfy your sense of sight. It would be best if you began by making your entire bedroom more inviting. Always keep your room tidy. Organize your desk, dresser, and shelves and put away stuff you don't often use. The place for your dirty clothes is in the hamper, not on the floor. Give your bedroom some scrubbing, dusting, and vacuuming regularly as well. When you wake up in the morning, make your bed, so it'll be more appealing for you at nighttime. Then, before going to bed at night, draw the curtains or shades closed. Make sure you also turn off the lights, TV, and your electronic gadgets. Keeping your bedroom dark will help prepare your body for sleep and prevent the light coming from your gadgets or passing cars from waking you up in the middle of the night.
Sense of hearing
Third, you have to satisfy your sense of hearing if you want to sleep better at night. To start, make your bedroom as soundproof as you can. While you can always install acoustic foam panels or add drywall, simply having thick curtains, carpets or rugs, and other soft materials in your bedroom will already significantly reduce noise. This is because soft surfaces absorb sounds. Of course, you'll still have to turn off devices, particularly your TV and gadgets, that can produce loud sounds if you really want a quiet bedroom at night. However, not all sounds disrupt sleep or prevent one from falling asleep. Music, in fact, can help prepare your body for sleep if it relaxes you. You can even keep some music on while sleeping if it'll help you get better sleep at night.
Help Yourself Get Enough Quality Sleep
If you truly want to be healthy, include getting enough quality sleep in your to-do list. After all, it's when you're sleeping that your organs get a chance to heal and rejuvenate. And if you're someone who has a hard time getting quality sleep, then you need to address this issue. You can start by satisfying three of your basic senses whenever you go to bed at night.