Throughout the day, your internal clock rotates between sleep and wakefulness. This 24-hour sleep-wake cycle is known as ourcircadian rhythm。
Your internal clock is located in a part of the brain called the下丘脑。It responds to external cues that tell your body it’s time to go to bed.
Sometimes, your circadian rhythm can get thrown off due to:
- shift work
- all-nighters
- 时差
- 穿越时区
Luckily, there are things you can do to improvesleep hygiene并重置您的内部时钟。
Here are 12 ways to work your way back to a good night’s sleep.
One of the best ways to fix your sleep schedule is to plan your exposure to light.
当您接触到光线时，您的大脑停止生产melatonin，睡眠激素。这使您感到清醒和机敏。
Darkness tells your brain to make more melatonin, so you feel drowsy.
早晨，让自己照亮可以帮助您醒来。尝试打开窗帘，散步或在门廊上放松。
晚上，通过关闭或调暗明亮的灯光来使自己入睡。您还应该避免从计算机，智能手机或电视上发出的电子屏幕，因为它们可以刺激您的大脑几个小时。
Making time for relaxation might help yousleep better。
当您感到压力或焦虑时，您的身体会产生更多cortisol，应力激素。皮质醇越高，您的感觉就越清醒。
Creating a relaxing bedtime ritual may reduce stress and its negative effects on sleep.
专注于平静活动，例如：
If your sleep schedule is out of whack, avoid naps during the day.小睡can make it difficult to go back to sleep at night.
Long naps might also cause grogginess, which is the result of waking up from deep sleep.
If you must nap, aim for less than 30 minutes. It’s also best to nap before 3 p.m. so your nighttime sleep isn’t disrupted.
One way to reset your internal clock is get定期运动。
Most of your tissues — including skeletal muscle — are linked to your biological clock. So, when you work out, muscle responds by aligning your circadian rhythm.
Exercise also helps you sleep better by promoting melatonin production.
三十分钟aerobic exercise可以改善你的睡眠质量的当天晚上。何wever, you’ll get the best results if you exercise regularly. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity at least five times a week.
请记住，晚上运动可能会刺激您的身体。如果您想在晚上锻炼身体，请在睡前至少一到两个小时。
A quiet sleeping environment is a must for a good night’s rest.
Your brain continues to process sounds, even as you snooze. Loud, distracting noises can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
To removeloud noises, keep your television out of the bedroom and turn it off before bedtime. Turn off your cell phone or use the “silent” setting.
If you live in a noisy neighborhood, white noise can help you get quality sleep.
White noise is a soothing, steady sound that masks environmental noise. You can create white noise by using a:
- fan
- 冷气机
- humidifier
- air purifier
- white noise machine
您还可以戴耳塞以阻止外部声音。
就在睡前，您的体温下降以准备睡眠。
A cool bedroom temperature — between 60 and 67°F (15 to 19°C) — will help you feel comfortable and doze off.
One
低于54°F（12°C）或高于75°F（24°C）的任何东西可能会破坏您的沉睡，因此请务必调整恒温器。
You can also use an air conditioner or fan during warmer weather, or a space heater during cold weather. These offer the extra benefit of creating white noise.
A comfortable bed is the best sleeping environment for a good night’s rest.
Oldmattressesand pillows can cause aches and pains, making it difficult to get quality sleep.
Generally, experts suggest replacing your mattresses every 10 years and pillows every two years.
You should also get a new mattress or pillow if you wake up feeling stiff, or if you feel more comfortable sleeping on a bed away from home.
您的床垫和枕头的牢固性取决于您。但是，如果您的床垫下垂并且枕头是块状的，那么该更换了。
Your circadian rhythm also responds to your eating habits.
A late dinner can delay sleep, so eat your last meal two to three hours before bed. This will give your body enough time to digest the meal.
Eating dinner around the same time each day will also get your body used to a routine.
It matters what you eat, too. Heavy, high-fat meals might disrupt sleep because they take a while to digest.
If you’re hungry, eat a light snack. Thebest foods for sleepinclude a combination of carbs and protein, such as wheat toast and almond butter.
Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, or energy drinks. As a stimulant,caffeine花费几个小时才能磨损，所以您的最后一杯午后。
It’s also best to skip alcohol before bed. A nightcap might make you drowsy, but alcohol actually disrupts your circadian rhythm, making it difficult to sleep well.
If you want to fix your sleep schedule, it helps to make one first.
选择一个bedtimeand wake-up time. Stick to these times every day, even on weekends or days off. Try to avoid staying up or sleeping in for more than one to two hours.
通过遵循常规时间表，您的内部时钟可以开发新的例程。随着时间的流逝，您将可以轻松入睡并轻松醒来。
When you eat and digest food, your internal clock knows that you’re awake. That’s because metabolism and circadian rhythm are closely linked.
On the other hand, fasting puts your body on “standby” so it can repair itself. Fasting is also a normal part of sleep.
在睡前尝试跳过食物。由于禁食在睡眠期间自然发生，因此可能有助于您打扰。
Plus, your body continues toburn calories during sleep。如果您在睡觉前快，您更有可能在早晨感到饥饿。这可能会激发您提早起床，然后在接下来的几天中恢复正常的睡眠时间表。
但是请记住，空腹睡觉可以让您保持清醒。如果您还不饿，禁食可能有用。
As mentioned earlier,melatoninis a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle.
Melatonin is normally made by the pineal gland in the brain, but it’s also available as a supplement. It can promote relaxation, so people with jet lag or insomnia often use it as a sleep aid.
At theproper dose，褪黑激素通常被认为是安全的。始终按照说明。
Possible side effects include:
If you’re taking other medications or have other health conditions, check with your doctor before using melatonin.
不时遇到睡眠问题是正常的。
Usually, changing behaviors or habits can restore your routine. But if sleep troubles persist, visit your doctor.
You might have an undiagnosedsleep disorder。If so, a sleep specialist can guide you through proper treatment.
Shift work, all-nighters, and jet lag can mess with your sleep schedule. Fortunately, practicing good sleep hygiene can get you back on track.
Before bed, avoid bright lights and heavy meals. Make sure your sleeping environment is comfortable, quiet, and cool. During the day, stay active and skip naps so you can sleep better.
If you still can’t sleep well, visit to your doctor.
