Sleep is crucial for the body's energy recovery, nervous system balance, and daily functions. Adequate, quality sleep boosts memory, learning, and work performance. Conversely, stress and fatigue can elevate free radicals, harming nerve cells, impeding blood circulation and oxygen delivery to the brain, which negatively impacts sleep quality.

Doctor Hoang Quyet Tien, from the Medical Information Center at Tam Anh General Hospital TP HCM, shares daily habits essential for achieving good sleep.

Maintain a consistent sleep schedule

Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps synchronize the brain with the body's natural circadian rhythm. When sleep times are stable, melatonin is released at the right moment, promoting easier and deeper sleep. In contrast, inconsistent sleep disrupts this rhythm, causing daytime fatigue and reduced concentration.

Eat a light dinner, avoid stimulants

Late or heavy dinners can cause indigestion and impair sleep quality. Similarly, consuming stimulants like coffee, tea, and alcohol in the evening overstimulates the nervous system, resulting in restless or difficult sleep.

Opt for easily digestible foods for dinner, finishing your meal two to three hours before bed to allow sufficient time for digestion. Warm milk with honey or herbal tea can promote mental relaxation. Natural supplements like blueberry and ginkgo biloba are also recommended. These nutrients help neutralize free radicals, improve cerebral blood circulation, and strengthen neural connections, leading to more profound and restful sleep.

Moderate exercise

Regular exercise improves sleep by reducing stress and regulating the body's biological clock. However, evening workouts should be moderate, concluding about two hours before bedtime. Gentle activities such as: walking, stretching, or yoga are recommended.

Gentle evening exercise helps relax and promotes better sleep. Photo created by AI

Relax before sleep

Relaxing before sleep is essential. A warm bath can relax the body, dilate blood vessels, and lower heart rate, facilitating easier sleep and reducing restlessness. Listening to soft music before bed also helps calibrate the brain's biological clock, enhancing sleep quality.

Limit electronic devices

Blue light emitted from phones, computers, and televisions can suppress hormone secretion, keeping the brain alert for longer. To protect your natural sleep-wake cycle, limit the use of these devices for about 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.

Doctor Tien advises adults experiencing frequent insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, or prolonged restlessness to consult a neurology specialist at a hospital for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Dinh Dieu