How To Get A Good Night's Sleep

Apart from exercising or avoiding alcoholic drinks and stimulants, choosing a correct sleeping posture is what will benefit you the most and ensure a good night's sleep.
How To Get A Good Night's Sleep

Last update: 27 May, 2022

Sleep deprivation stimulates poor diet and alters emotions and the ability to concentrate. It also increases the risk of developing various diseases, such as obesity. Drinking too much coffee, exercising at inappropriate times, following different routines every day, and choosing different bedtimes are enemies of a good night’s sleep.

When it comes to sleep, the goal is to minimize health risks and improve physical well-being. The question is how to achieve that goal. These tips to help you get a good night’s sleep will result in many health benefits.

In this article, we’ll give you a few tips to help you get quality sleep.

good night's sleep

Sleep Disorders

The first thing to do is to identify any problems and seek natural remedies.  Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder and it affects the quality of life. Discovering its causes and having good sleep hygiene help overcome it.

Another common but far more dangerous sleep disorder is sleep apnea. It can trigger hypertension and brain and heart diseases, especially heart attacks.

  • People who suffer from it stop breathing for at least ten seconds several times during the night, which decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood. In these cases, medical treatment is essential.

It’s not just about sleeping, but sleeping well. 
We recommend that you read: 11 Tips to Sleep Well and Wake up Feeling Refreshed

Some Tips to Help You Get a Good Night’s Sleep

woman sleeping peacefully on a pillow

These tips to help you get a good night’s sleep will provide good rest, which minimizes stress hormones and thus the risk of developing coronary and vascular diseases.

Adapt to Your Body’s Needs

Although it’s been said that an adult should get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep, each person is different.

  • Each person should discover how many hours they need to feel completely rested and thus try to get those hours of sleep every night. It’ll all depend on your lifestyle.

Avoid Stimulants

Drinking coffee, chocolate, tea, soft drinks, and other stimulants won’t help you get good sleep.

  • You should stop consuming them in the afternoon so they don’t affect you and your sleep.

Have Light Dinners

woman deciding what to eat in front of the fridge

Having a light dinner free of fats or diuretics components at least three hours before going to sleep won’t interfere with your rest. It’s not advisable to go to bed hungry.

  • You should avoid foods like bacon, cheese, nuts, or red wine, which contain tyramine. These foods release norepinephrine, a brain stimulant that can keep you awake all night.

See also: How to Make 5 Teas to Sleep Better

Take Advantage of the Benefits of Exercise

Exercising regularly in the morning after breakfast or in the afternoon before dinner consumes energy that will be recovered during the night.

Physical activity elevates the body’s temperature, so we don’t recommend exercising before bedtime.

Alcohol and Tobacco

person saying no to a glass of beer

The belief that one drink of alcohol can help you fall asleep is a half-truth.

In the initial stage, alcohol decreases brain activity, but then it alters sleep.

Also, nicotine dependence can disrupt sleep. Spending several hours without smoking creates a sense of deprivation.

Thus, it’s advisable to quit smoking permanently. Following sleeping schedules , including during the weekends, will regularize this activity.

  • The tryptophan in milk, an amino acid that regulates serotonin levels in the brain, makes drinking a glass of milk before going to bed helpful.
  • Eggs and whole grains also contain tryptophan.

A Little Nap

The ideal thing to do if you feel sleepy is going to bed, but taking a short 30-minute nap is a healthy alternative.

These naps help relax the body and won’t interfere with nighttime sleep.

No Noise, Lights, or Heat

woman with sleeping problems

It’s good to turn off the TV and radio at night. If you can’t achieve complete silence, then earplugs are a good choice.

  • Your room should be dark, with a temperature of about 20°C.
  • A few drops of valerian or a linden or chamomile infusion before bedtime relax and facilitate rest.
  • Some perfumes, essential oils, or creams also contain fragrances that make you sleepy.

The Best Posture

Lying on your back minimizes damage to the neck, as well as pressure in the lungs, headaches, and insomnia.

According to specialists, sleeping on your left side favors heart activity, circulation, digestion, and lymphatic drainage.

However, sleeping on your right side increases esophageal reflux.

Keep these tips in mind to get a better nights’ sleep!


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


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  • Healthy sleep tips. (n.d.). Retrieved from
    sleepfoundation.org/sleep-tools-tips/healthy-sleep-tips/page/0/1
  • Mayo Clinic Staff. (2014, June 9). Sleep tips: 7 steps to better sleep
    mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379
  • Sleep and sleep disorders. (2015, March 12)
    cdc.gov/sleep/index.html

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.