Habits that affect the quality of your sleep

Even though you are able to maintain a proper sleep rhythm of sleeping at night and waking up in the morning, many people are troubled by the fact that they are unable to wake up feeling refreshed in the morning.

Here are five recommended habits to help you get a good night's sleep.

Bad habits that ruin your sleep

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's "Sleep Guidelines for Health Promotion 2014" sets out "12 Sleep Principles," which explain the importance of improving the quality of your sleep, stating that good sleep is effective in preventing lifestyle-related diseases and that the sense of rest that comes from sleep is important for mental health.

On the other hand, the report also mentions bad habits that can reduce the quality of your sleep, such as using alcohol instead of sleeping pills, avoiding caffeine before going to bed, and lack of exercise.

Things you should do to improve the quality of your sleep

The accumulation of sleep debt due to lack of sleep is called "sleep debt." The accumulation of sleep debt due to poor quality of sleep can cause various physical and mental disorders, and even reduce the quality of our lives.

In order to improve the quality of your sleep and get a good night's sleep, it is important to be relaxed before you go to sleep.

Here are five recommended bedtime habits and sleep aids.

1. Stretch to help you sleep better

Vigorous stretching an hour before bed can make you nervous, so it's important to relax with some light exercise.

We recommend "meridian stretching," which stimulates pressure points for good sleep while releasing muscle tension and allowing you to relax through deep breathing.

There are five acupressure points to remember for a good night's sleep: 5) Yongquan, XNUMX) Zhaohai, XNUMX) Taixi, XNUMX) Sanyinjiao, for balancing hormones, and XNUMX) Chengshan, for reducing leg swelling.

Simply pressing and rubbing the area can help stimulate blood flow.

① The area where your toes become indented when bent.
② Under the inner ankle.
③ Between the inner ankle and Achilles tendon.
④ Four fingers above the inner ankle.
⑤ The middle of the calf muscle.

Meridian Stretch 1
Improves sensitivity to cold and menstrual pain for a good night's sleep

1. Sit with one leg bent and stimulate acupressure points ① to ④. Do this on both sides.

2. Spread your legs and place your hands in a comfortable position, exhale and bend forward. Breathe naturally and hold for 10 seconds.

3. Raise your torso, exhale, stretch your left arm and lean it to the right. Breathe naturally and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

4. Repeat step 2.

Meridian Stretch 2
Reduces swelling and relieves tension in the neck and shoulders

1. Sit with one knee raised and stimulate acupoint ⑤ with your thumb. Do this on both sides.

2. Sit with your feet hip-width apart and place a towel under your feet. Breathe naturally and hold for 10 seconds. Stretch the backs of your knees and hips.

3. Exhale and bend forward. Breathe naturally and hold for 10 seconds.

2. Listen to soothing music

Relaxing music is like nourishment for the mind and body, delivered through the ears.

The information we receive through our ears directly stimulates our brain nerves and affects our state of mind. For example, quiet, pleasant music such as music from a music box or classical music can have a calming effect, but unpleasant sounds such as loud noises can arouse nerves and cause irritation.

Music that is likely to produce the relaxing frequency of "alpha waves" is said to be simple music that is quiet, relaxed, and has many repeated short phrases without lyrics.

Listening to this type of music, which is relatively common in classical music, causes the parasympathetic nervous system to become dominant, resulting in the secretion of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, slowing breathing and heart rate. At the same time, serotonin, also known as the happiness hormone, produces the sleep-inducing substance melatonin, relaxing the body and brain and helping you get a good night's sleep.

3. Pay attention to your pajamas

Pajamas made from materials that feel good against the skin are one of the items that will help you get a good night's sleep.

UCHINO's Marshmallow Gauze® Sleep Pajamas are incredibly light and soft gauze pajamas woven in three layers using a combination of thin, soft, low-twist yarn and high-strength yarn.

Marshmallow Gauze® pajamas have the perfect balance of moisture absorption, breathability, and heat retention, all of which are necessary for a comfortable sleep, helping to keep the environment inside the garment comfortable and supporting high-quality sleep.

In a test in which the pajamas were worn for good sleep, 97% of participants reported that they "slept better than usual," proving that the pajamas improve the quality of sleep.

4. Use an eye mask to soothe your vision

It is known that the lighting in the bedroom and the light stimulation from windows affect the quality of sleep, so in order to get a good night's sleep, it is important to block out the view and create a calming environment.

Also, for those who regularly strain their eyes through desk work or other activities, using an eye mask to warm the eyes moderately can improve blood circulation and help relieve eye fatigue.

5. Aromatherapy to soothe the body and mind

Some aroma blends can help you get a good night's sleep.

UCHINO TOUCH's Happy Dreaming aroma spray is an item that will easily lead to good quality sleep just by spraying it on a towel or towel. The warm scent will free your mind and body, and can be used by a wide range of age groups, from children to adults.

Summary

To get good quality sleep, it's important to take the time to relax before going to bed.
Try reviewing your sleep environment, such as doing some gentle stretches before bed to relieve the fatigue of the day, wearing soft pajamas and listening to soothing music, or using an aroma spray to relax you.