4 tips to sleep better immediately

Make sure you get enough exercise

Sleep better - care for exercise and sport

The body has a natural urge to move, so whether you're playing a sport or walking the famous 10,000 steps, regular exercise will immediately improve your sleep. Exercise is most effective when you get out in the fresh air, when you use your lunch break for a digestive walk, or when you run errands on foot instead of taking the car. Some routes are also more enjoyable if you cycle - for example, cycling along cycle paths in the countryside instead of driving through the concrete city. Leaving the car behind more often and moving on foot or by bike also has the advantage that it encourages you to continue exercising.

Rethink your eating habits

Sleep better - Rethink your eating habits

Avoid hearty meals in the evening, because they boost the metabolism and are heavy on the stomach. This also applies to raw vegetables or salads, which are difficult to digest and should therefore not be eaten directly before bedtime. A snack before going to bed can be helpful, such as a glass of milk with honey or a piece of cheese. Sometimes a sleep problem can result from not having eaten before going to bed and consequently the body wakes up due to hypoglycemia.

Problems with sleep can also be caused by the consumption of coffee, cola or alcohol. Drinks containing caffeine stimulate the body and brain activity and make it difficult to sleep peacefully or to fall asleep in general. Alcohol has a superficially calming effect on the body, but shortens the deep sleep phases, and sleep becomes more restless and shorter overall. So again, it's better to avoid the nightcap, even if it seems to make it easier to fall asleep. The same can be said of drugs such as cannabis, which also change the course of sleep phases, especially the restful deep sleep phases.

Create the right sleeping environment

Sleep better - No more tablet or smartphone - If there's no other way, wear Blueblocker glasses

Read through the newsfeed on your social networks or write an e-mail for work on your iPad before you go to sleep? Even if it seems tempting, you should give digital media a rest for a while before going to bed. Many of us can't completely banish electronic devices from the bedroom, for example, if you live in a one-bedroom apartment, the bedroom is also a study, or for other reasons you can't do without electronic media there, these devices should be disconnected from the power source for nighttime rest, because even in standby mode, electronic devices sometimes emit enough artificial light to affect your sleep. Artificial light decreases the release of sleep hormones in the body, which significantly worsens sleep in an avoidable way. The ideal temperature is slightly colder than the rest of the home, preferably 18-20 degrees. This applies to all age groups.

Create a calm mood already in the evening

Sleep better - rituals in the evening, relaxed light, no more smartphone or tablet

The stress of the day often makes it difficult for us to rest in the evening, so it is advisable to prepare for sleep with some rituals. Drink a cup of herbal tea, meditate, read 100 pages in a book that provides a relaxing pleasure, turn off all electronic media for one to two hours, because these also stress your nerves and make it difficult to get to rest. Furthermore, it can be helpful to learn relaxation techniques, because it is often difficult to switch off in the evening. The stress and anger of the day make us brood and we often can't get rid of our thoughts. The good news is that you can learn to "switch off." Meditation can be helpful for this. If a negative thought comes up, look at it and let it move on. This is a good way to calm down even after a stressful day.

Extra tip: Non-smokers sleep better!

There are many reasons to quit smoking, because the toxic properties of smoking cannot be overemphasized. Nicotine has a stimulating effect and a cigarette before falling asleep can deprive you of the necessary rest rather than having a relaxing effect. Depending on how pronounced the nicotine addiction is, smokers sleep shorter and more often have problems sleeping through the night. The relationship between sleep deprivation and smoking has not yet been fully established, but it can be assumed that there is a vicious circle: Those who sleep for a shorter time are likely to have a less rested day and, as a result, are more likely to need a relaxing substance and the whole thing starts all over again.