Introduction

Have you ever felt like, "I can't seem to fall asleep today..." or "I'm just so tired after the holidays..."? In fact, just a little ingenuity can help you fall asleep more easily and even make a difference in how you wake up in the morning. After a long holiday or a busy day, you want to get a good night's sleep and feel refreshed. This time, I'd like to share with you the 7 tips I usually keep in mind to improve the quality of my sleep. Please feel free to read it and try it out starting tomorrow.

1. Finish dinner a little earlier

When you're tired, you want to lie down right after eating. However, if you go to bed right after eating, your stomach and intestines will be working at full capacity. It often becomes difficult to fall asleep. Ideally, you should finish dinner 2-3 hours before going to bed.
If you're too busy and can't do it, simply eating less and choosing menus that are easy to digest can make a difference.

2. Relax with herbal tea

If you want to relax before bed, we recommend caffeine-free herbal tea. Chamomile and rooibos teas warm the body and calm the mind, so you can expect a relaxing effect.
If you feel the taste is lacking, try adding a little honey. The slight sweetness is comforting and soothing.

3. Block out all light with an eye mask

Even if you think you have darkened the room, street lights, smartphone notification lights, etc. Light can actually be irritating to the eyes and brain, so an eye mask can be useful in such situations. It effectively blocks out light, helping you get a deep sleep.
It will be more effective if you refrain from using your smartphone or tablet as much as possible before going to bed and give your brain time to calm down.

4. Relax your whole body in a bath or foot bath

Relaxing in the bath improves blood circulation and relieves the fatigue of the day. If you don't have time, a foot bath is fine. Just warming your feet will warm your body.
Water that is too hot can actually make you awake, so it's best to keep it slightly lukewarm. As your body temperature rises and then drops, you will naturally fall asleep more easily.

5. Get plenty of morning sun

The quality of your night's sleep is actually influenced by how you spend your mornings. Opening the curtains and letting in sunlight after waking up will reset your body clock and make you feel more naturally sleepy at night.
On days when you feel tired after a long weekend, try doing some stretching in the morning. Taking a deep breath and waking up your body will help you start your day off right.

6. Relax with some gentle stretching or yoga

Doing some light stretching or yoga before bed can help relieve muscle tension and improve blood circulation. Focusing on stretching areas that tend to become stiff during the day, such as your shoulders and back, can help relieve fatigue.
The key is not to do strenuous exercise, but to maintain the pose while breathing slowly. If you do this with the intention of rewarding yourself for another day of hard work, your mind will relax and you will find it easier to fall asleep in a calm mood.

7. Maintain a comfortable bedroom temperature and humidity

If your room is too hot or too cold, it can wake you up in the middle of the night. To maintain a comfortable temperature and humidity, make good use of air conditioners and humidifiers.
In particular, dryness in winter and discomfort in summer are said to be the worst enemies of sleep. Just changing or adjusting the air a little before you go to bed will make a big difference.

summary

1. Finish dinner early
2. Relax with herbal tea
3. Block out light with an eye mask
4. Warm up in the bath or foot bath
5. Reset your body clock by soaking up the morning sun
6. Relax your body with some gentle stretching and yoga
7. Optimize your bedroom environment

Just a little effort can make a huge difference in how well you fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning. Especially after a long holiday or during a busy season, it's important to get enough sleep and feel comfortable. Please try out whatever you think you can do. I'm sure you'll find it a little easier to wake up the next morning.