Top Tips For Getting A Lighter Sleep On The Nights You Need It

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Doorway to A Delicate Doze

You must have quite often read or heard about tips and tricks on how to get a night of deep and full sleep, I know I have, having needed it frequently enough. Many times, I’m unable to escape into that deep sleep stage and it causes me to be up and awake at random hours even.

A night of light sleep is often linked to many health problems and issues which may worsen over time.

However, sometimes and only sometimes, we need to be able to sleep lighter- maybe there’s an early morning task, maybe you want to hourly check up on your baby, could be any reason, to be honest. Some of us might just want to creep up on people mid-sleep as Mike Wazowski does and that requires one to sleep lighter themselves, that is fine too.

Mike Wazowski Burped | Monsters inc bedroom, Monsters inc, Monster

Now, for some natural deep sleepers, even the loudest of alarms may not be able to wake them up, so here are some tips to get you through the night with(out?) a satisfying, lighter sleep.

1. Sleep Preparation

If you plan on sleeping lighter, you need to prepare heavy. To be able to sleep lighter without alarms or external disturbances, you will need to prepare a day or two before. This basically requires breaking your sleep schedule and disrupting the harmony you’ve developed in your sleep-cycle.

Try getting as many power naps in the day as possible. Sleep in the noon, the evening, the dusk, the dawn, on your desk chair, at the dining table, on the couch, everywhere! This will ensure that you do not need to pursue your 8 hours during your night sleep and end up with a lighter sleep and not missing out on your essential and vital sleep hours.

Sleeping Lighter

You could always add that extra spin, watch a horror movie to get scared out of your sleep schedule. Movies as silly as “Scream” make me not want to go to sleep for a whole week. You’ll keep wondering if you locked your doors right, all night!

2. Sleep Environment

Another thing one is often told to be aware of is their sleep environment. If you create just the right environment, you end up getting that deep sleep. Similarly, there are ways that your environment might just give you lighter sleep. Beware, this might make you a bit uncomfortable.

Sleeping Lighter

Keep your TV on. This is tried and tested. Often, I have gone to sleep watching TV, and the light and sound of the television keeps me from entering into a deep sleep and pushes me towards being more awake even while asleep.

You could also keep a higher or a lower temperature in the room or use an inadequate number of blankets so that the temperature will inhibit you from sleeping too deeply and reinforce a lighter sleep. Even keeping the lights in your bedroom on may help you NOT go flying off into dreamland and therefore, keep you more grounded and in a wakeful state of sleep!

You could also abandon the comfort of your soft warm bed and go on your uncomfortable, too-small-for-your-body couch. This will also help break routine and habit and you may end up not being able to sleep very well. Although be ready for that ‘oh so cruel’ neck and back pain.

3. Food

Now, these tips are more detrimental to your health than anything. So, while they may work, it is best to avoid them as far as possible.

This Hybrid Coffee Cup and Water Bottle Lets You Drink Both Beverages from  One Lid | Food & Wine

For a lighter, or in other words, disturbed sleep, you could always consume coffee after your designated caffeine hours. It will surely keep you up or at least in low sleep mood, even when asleep.

A lot of spicy and heavy food may also cause very light digestive disturbances that may inhibit your deep sleep. Drinking a lot of water will also keep you up having you constantly attending to nature’s call. Although these are helpful, it is very much not advisable!

Efficient deep sleep is one of the most important aspects for good and healthy well-being. So, it is important to understand that while some special circumstances do need you to have a lighter sleep compared to other days, it is vital to ensure your own well-being and to understand that these tips may be counterproductive health-wise and therefore, should not be embraced and made a routine out of.

That being said, once in a while, these might help you out, especially all the deep sleepers out there, who efficiently have developed a healthy routine, it is good to be a little spontaneous at times, go get up at 4 A.M. for that amazing hiking trip you’ve been planning on for so long but could not get up for.

Catch a glimpse of the sunset or get that light, irregular sleep so that you can pull off that monumental project that you’ve been so ambitious about, on the final night!

Give it you’re all, give it your best. But after it is done, sleep your best!

FAQs

Is it better to be a light sleeper or a deep sleeper?

It is definitely better to be a deep sleeper, as it has been proven to boost health, both physical and mental. It is absolutely necessary for your well-being to develop habits that help you sleep deeper and therefore, efficiently help your body utilize the sleep type to rejuvenate and refresh itself.

What foods should be avoided to get a good night’s sleep?

Some food to be avoided include foods with caffeine, heavy foods as well as spicy foods. These cause acidity and a few other digestive issues which will surely keep you up and at it, during the night.


Featured Photo by The Creative Exchange on Unsplash

Written by Preeti Gokhale

The author is a sleep enthusiast. When not writing about sleep they prefer to either sleep or play games online. They also like to eat pizza and drink cranberry juice. You can often spot them on their way to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. You can connect with them via email!


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