How to get better sleep? Those who struggle with trying to fall asleep would love to know the trick which does not include taking medications. If you are feeling like you are not getting enough sleep or if you feel sleepy during the day, don’t worry, you are not alone.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, one in three American adults have some symptoms of insomnia. Also, researchers have found that 100,000 car crashes each year are somewhat related to drowsy driving which yearly translates into 1,550 fatalities and 71 injuries. Furthermore, the Institute of Medicine suggested that the long-term effects of lack of sleep can lead to serious health issues such as diabetes, stroke, hypertension, heart attack and depression.
Sleep is important and many try to deal with insomnia by trying over-the-counter aids or prescribed sleep aids. The question is what is the other way to fall asleep faster and get better sleep without unnecessary medications.
How to Wake Up Rested?
Recently, a study was published on sleep and it was conducted by a collaboration of experts from the University of Southern Californian and the UT Health Science Center at Houston. The study suggested that a warm shower and bath one or two hours before bedtime can significantly help you fall asleep faster and get a good night’s rest. Researchers reviewed approximately 5,000 studies related to sleep and bathing. Out of 5,000 studies, 17 met the study criteria to explore the effect of a hot shower on sleep. They concluded from the studies that a hot bath of 104 and 109 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 10 minutes can significantly improve sleep efficiency. A warm shower or bath led to more time spent sleeping rather than turning in bed while trying to fall asleep. Those who did not take a hot shower an hour or two before going to bed struggled to fall asleep and therefore had issues sleeping. The bath should be scheduled at least one or two hours before bedtime and the warm bath can speed falling asleep time by 36% for an average adult person.
Why does the warm shower or bath help you get a good night rest? What is the logic behind it? Our body temperature is not constant for 24 hours a day. In the morning and evening, our body temperature is higher on average when compared to our daily temperature. Also, the body temperature is at its lowest during the night. The body temperature needs to drop before you fall asleep. When you take a warm shower or bath, the body brings a large amount of blood flow to the surface especially in the area of your hands and feet which leads to an overall drop at body temperature. If you take a warm bath at the right biological time which is one to two hours before going to bed it will help your natural circadian process and it will improve your sleep.
If you had a tough day at work, and you come back home with a headache, all you need is a hot shower to feel better. That same hot shower will help you with sleep.
We are all very much familiar with the psychological benefits of a good bath. Maybe you are struggling with falling asleep, maybe you have a restless night and you wake up not feeling rested. Your sleep should be on your priority list. Many people are walking around in a sleep-deprived state, even bragging that they can function with the only couple of hours of sleep. Getting enough sleep and realizing that sleep will help you stay productive and healthy is the best thing you can do for yourself.
