8 basic rules for quality sleep: what will help you get a good night's sleep

 The sleep of many Ukrainians has been disturbed for almost a year and a half, and many people complain that they cannot sleep even when they have the opportunity. Doctors emphasize that sleep is a basic need of everyone and it is very important for health, normal functioning of the brain and mood.

RBC-Ukraine (Styler project) tells what basic rules you need to follow in order to get enough sleep, referring to doctor Yulia Koval on Instagram, informs UAINFO.org.

According to the family doctor and nutritionist, sleep is as important for a person as health and physical activity. A good sleep improves performance, mood and health, helps prevent many diseases and allows you to maintain a normal weight.

To improve the quality of sleep, you need to follow these rules:

Regime

Try to have a certain sleep schedule - go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. It is advisable to fall asleep before 11:00 p.m. - this is necessary for the synthesis of hormones in our body.

Amount of sleep

The recommended amount of sleep for an adult is from 7 to 9 hours. For children and teenagers, this number is higher.

Bed

"A bed is not a dining room, not a cinema, it should be used only for sleep. The bedroom should be dark, for this you can use curtains or a sleep mask," advises Yulia Koval.

Airing

Try to ventilate your sleeping area before going to bed. Even 10-15 minutes will be enough to let in fresh air.

Gadgets

Turn off all gadgets 30-60 minutes before bedtime. Don't scroll through news feeds, play on tablets, and don't watch TV shows before going to bed.

Dinner

Do not overeat at night. The last meal should be 3-4 hours before bedtime.

Clothes

Pay attention to clothes for sleeping - they should be comfortable, loose and made of natural fabrics. Choose a comfortable pillow and mattress. Nothing should hurt you after sleep.

Evening rituals

Start calming and relaxing rituals. Meditation, breathing exercises, self-massage, taking a bath, reading a book - anything that will allow you to adjust to quality sleep. Try to prefer quiet activities before going to bed.

Why are hormones so important?

Melatonin. The main regulator of circadian rhythms. During sleep, the whole body regenerates. It is synthesized naturally in the evening. But melatonin is very picky - the screen light from the phone, TV, which enters the retina of the eye, reduces its synthesis.

In order not to lose such an important hormone for our body, do not ignore sleep hygiene, because we are depriving the body of one of the most powerful factors of lipolysis.

Somatotropic hormone. It is a growth hormone and also a good fat-burning (lipolytic) hormone. Its synthesis can block insulin, which is released after eating. That is why it is important to eat no later than 3 hours before bedtime.

Ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin is a hunger hormone that increases secretion before eating when we are hungry. And leptin is a satiety hormone. It signals the body that we have had enough.

When we lack sleep, the feeling of hunger becomes more acute, and this makes us eat more.