8) Sleep well to feel well!
A solid night sleep for 6-9 hours improves your mood and wellbeing. Sleeping problems are common. This is for example when you can't fall asleep and toss and turn in bed, you have interrupted sleep and wake up several times at night, you wake up after few hours and can't fall back to sleep, you often get vivid or disturbing dreams and feel groggy next day, you sleep too late and sleep in until midday, you get restless legs at night, or you feel sleepy all the time and dose off often during the day.
There are different reasons for sleeping difficulty. It may be just due to poor habit. Sometimes it's due to external factors like noisy environment or uncomfortable bed. It may happen because of pain or illness. It might be due to sleep apnea or difficulty breathing during sleep; this happens particularly if you're overweight or snore a lot. Finally, it may happen due to mental illnesses.
There is a close link between sleep and mental wellbeing. Most mental illnesses cause sleep difficulty. Depression commonly causes insomnia or over-sleeping. Anxiety makes people toss and turn. People with stressful or traumatic experiences usually get vivid nightmares. Those with bipolar illness typically do not sleep as such during mood elevation. And people with psychosis most often show a reversed pattern of sleeping.
Poor sleep can lead to depressed mood and irritability. Some people use alcohol, pills, or drugs to sleep. This often makes the sleeping problem worse and complicated. For example, alcohol can make your sleep patchy and unsettled. Moreover, regular alcohol use can make you overweight, depressed and snappy. So, it's better to use healthy ways to sleep well. I have listed a few simple tips for good sleep below.
Tips to sleep well:
Make your bedroom pleasant for sleep! This includes suitable room temperature and a comfortable bed.
Take a shower before bed! Water makes your body relaxed.
Go to bed at the same time every night!
Avoid alcohol or coffee at night; instead drink chamomile tea or warm milk before bed!
Avoid bright lights at night! For example, don't play with smart phones and don't watch TV in bed.
Don't use your bed during the day! Use bed just for sleep and sex! Then, your body gets used to feel relaxed and ready for sleep whenever in bed.
Don't stay indoors all the time! Expose yourself to daylight, especially in the morning!
Do physical activity during the day! You will sleep well if your body is physically tired.