4 tips to sleep better immediately

Make sure you get enough exercise

Sleep better - take care of exercise and sport

The body has a natural urge to move, whether you are doing a sport or the famous 10,000 steps regular exercise immediately improves your sleep. Exercise unfolds its full effect above all when you are at the fresh air when you use your lunch break for a digestive walk or run errands on foot instead of taking the car. Some routes are also nicer if you do them by bike - for example, cycling along cycle paths in the countryside instead of driving through the concrete city. Leaving the car behind more often and walking or cycling also has the advantage of encouraging you to continue exercising.

Rethink your eating habits

Sleep better - Rethink your eating habits

Avoid hearty meals in the evening, as these stimulate the metabolism and are heavy on the stomach. This also applies to raw vegetables or salads, which are difficult to digest and should therefore not be eaten directly before bedtime. A snack before bedtime, such as a glass of milk with honey or a piece of cheese, can be helpful. Sometimes a sleep problem can result from not having eaten before going to bed and consequently the body wakes up due to hypoglycemia.

Problems sleeping can also be caused by Consumption of coffee, cola or alcohol can also cause problems. Drinks containing caffeine stimulate the body and brain activity and make it difficult to sleep peacefully or fall asleep in general. Although alcohol has a superficially calming effect on the body, it shortens the deep sleep phases, making sleep more restless and shorter overall. So here too, it is better to avoid the nightcap, even if it seems to make it easier to fall asleep. The same can be said of drugs such as cannabis, which also alter the sequence of sleep phases, especially the restful deep sleep phases.

Create the right sleep environment

Sleep better - No more tablet or smartphone - If there is no other way, wear blueblocker glasses

Reading through your social media newsfeed or writing an email for work on your iPad before going to sleep? Even if it seems tempting, you should give digital media a rest for a while before going to bed. Many of us cannot completely banish electronic devices from the bedroom, e.g. if you live in a one-room apartment, the bedroom is also a study or for other reasons you cannot do without electronic media there, these devices should be disconnected from the power source for a good night's sleep, because even in stand-by mode, electronic devices sometimes emit enough artificial light to affect your sleep. Artificial light reduces the release of sleep hormones in the body, which significantly impairs sleep in an avoidable way. The ideal temperature is slightly colder than in the rest of the home, preferably 18-20 degrees. This applies to all age groups.

Create a calm atmosphere in the evening

Sleep better - Rituals in the evening, relaxed light, no more smartphone or tablet

The stress of the day often makes it difficult to calm down in the evening, so it is advisable to prepare for sleep with a few rituals. Drink a cup of herbal tea, meditate, read 100 pages of a book that is relaxing and enjoyable, switch off all electronic media for an hour or two, as these also stress your nerves and make it difficult to calm down. It can also be helpful to learn relaxation techniques, as it is often difficult to switch off in the evening. The stress and anger of the day make us brood and we often can't get rid of our thoughts. The good news is that you can learn to "switch off". Meditation can be helpful for this. If a negative thought arises, look at it and let it move on. This will also help you to calm down after a stressful day.

Extra tip: Non-smokers sleep better!

There are many reasons to stop smoking, because the toxic properties of smoking cannot be emphasized enough. Nicotine has a stimulating effect and a cigarette before going to sleep can deprive you of the rest you need rather than having a relaxing effect. Depending on how pronounced the nicotine addiction is, smokers sleep for shorter periods and often have problems sleeping through the night. The links between lack of sleep and smoking have not yet been fully established, but a vicious circle can be assumed: Those who sleep for a shorter time are likely to have a less rested day and as a result are more likely to need a relaxing substance and the whole thing starts all over again.