If you have insomnia, visiting some Orange County mattress stores to look for the perfect mattress may seem like a solution to your sleeping issues. While a viable option, and one you should definitely consider (more on that later), there are many other changes you can make to your daily routine to help combat insomnia. Below are

Six habits you can implement today that may help you get quality sleep:

Have a consistent sleep schedule 

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes it difficult to fall or stay asleep. It’s a vicious cycle of not being tired during appropriate hours and being tired during inappropriate hours. That’s why it’s important for people who suffer from insomnia to maintain a consistent sleep schedule by waking up at the same time every day and not taking any naps. While extra sleep may be tempting when you’re tired, a sleep schedule is important to train your body to understand what the ‘appropriate’ hours to sleep are and be able to fall asleep at a good hour. 

Remove alcohol and caffeine consumption

The effects of alcohol and caffeine are widely known, but these effects are even more dangerous for people who suffer from insomnia. While alcohol is a sedative, it can actually cause drinkers to have a disruptive night of sleep. Similarly, caffeine is a stimulant that can make it harder overall for drinkers to fall and stay asleep.

Avoid eating or drinking before bed

Eating before bed can keep you up by stimulating your digestive system. This is especially imperative for people who struggle with heartburn, as eating can intensify the already irritating symptoms. Similarly, drinking an excessive amount of fluids can disturb your sleep, as you may need to take several bathroom breaks throughout the night. Overall, it’s best to stop eating and drinking a couple of hours before your bedtime so your body doesn’t activate any unnecessary functions that may keep you up. 

Make yourself comfortable 

Your comfort levels start with your bedroom, so it’s important that you set up your room in a way that soothes you. You should consider your room’s lighting, temperature and noise levels, and figure out what settings best lull you to sleep. Your sheets and bed should also be suitable for your needs. If you find that your current bed isn’t comfortable, visit any one of the mattress stores in Orange County to find the mattress of your dreams today. 

Exercise at an appropriate hour

We commonly view exercise as an act that will tire us out. However, exercise can act as a stimulant, which can actually ‘wake up’ your body and mind and keep you from being able to sleep. To avoid these effects, schedule your workout so that you’re done exercising at least three hours before bed. On the other hand, after the adrenaline has worn off, exercising certainly can tire your body out. In fact, it’s been linked with helping put people to sleep and keeping them asleep. Ultimately, exercise is a powerful tool that can help combat insomnia, but it’s important that you schedule your workout appropriately so you don’t fall victim to its stimulant effects. 

Go to bed stress-free

It’s hard to fall asleep when your mind is too focused on stressful details, and continuously doing so may train your mind to associate bed with stress instead of sleep. Try to combat this by dedicating part of your day to think about what’s causing you stress, like what happened to you earlier in the day and future overwhelming plans, and coming up with proactive solutions that may reduce that stress.

Of course, you can also participate in stress-reducing activities to relax before bed. This includes deep breathing techniques, meditation, taking a bath, or listening to music. Overall, the goal with this tip is to get the stress out of your mind so you may lay in bed with a calm mind. 

Insomnia is difficult to deal with, especially when you still can’t seem to sleep despite having such an amazingly comfortable bed from one of many mattress stores like Mattress Sale Liquidators. Using these other six tips is a great place to start trying to change your sleep quality for the better.