Jennifer McBride

We have all made a big deal about getting enough sleep—7 to 8 hours of sleep a day and all that whatnot. But what many of us miss out is the fact that staying healthy and energetic is not just about getting enough sleep. It is also about getting a good quality of sleep.

You may hear some people talk about deep sleep all the time and how beneficial it is to enjoy this kind of sleep. But were you able to enjoy deep sleep yourself? Most probably not. If that is the case, we highly recommend that you read this article to know how to get deep sleep.

Understanding the Different Stages of Sleep

Before we dive into the different tips on how to get deep sleep, we need first to understand the different stages of the sleep cycle.

You see, the sleep cycle is divided into two categories: Non-REM and REM sleep. At the start of the night, you will enter the non-REM sleep cycle. It will then be followed by a short REM period. The entire cycle runs for about 90 minutes then it repeats until the morning.

Deep sleep takes place when you are at the final cycle of your non-REM sleep.

Understanding the different stages of sleep

The Amazing Benefits of Deep Sleep

Why is it vital for us to enjoy deep sleep? Do we really need to ask that question? When you are in a deep sleep, your pituitary glands secrete hormones that are important to the healthy function of this body. Because of that, enjoying deep sleep will allow you to enjoy the following benefits:

• Boost mental performance
• Improve memory
• Restore energy levels
• Cellular regeneration
• Better blood flow to the muscles
• Facilitate repair, recovery, and growth of bones and tissues
• Strengthening the body’s immune system

What Happens When You Don’t Get Deep Sleep

If the benefits mentioned are not enough to influence you to find a way to get deep sleep, then you may want to find out what would happen to you if you do not get enough sleep. When you do not get enough deep sleep, your risk of developing certain diseases may increase. These include:

• Heart Diseases
• Diabetes
• Stroke
• Alzheimer’s Diseases

Many experts also claim that it is associated with specific sleep disorders like night terrors, sleep eating, bedwetting and even, sleepwalking.

The Best Tips on How to Get Deep Sleep

Now that you already have all the motivation you need to strive for getting deep sleep, then let us proceed with the practical tips on how to get deep sleep. These are as follows:

Reduce bright lights an hour before bed.

Our bodies start to produce melatonin once it gets dark. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for sleep regulation. It can also help you fall asleep easier and deeper. But when the lights in your home are bright a few hours before bedtime, your body will fail to recognize that it is already nighttime. As a result, your body will not produce melatonin, and you will find it difficult to fall asleep at night.

Reduce bright lights an hour before bed

Turn off your gadgets at night.

Even if the lights in your home are already turned off, your body will still feel to produce melatonin if you are still using your phones, laptops, and TV. This is because these gadgets emit blue light which is similar to that of bright lights. Because of this, your body will not get ready for your sleep cycle, and you would end up wide awake even if it is already past midnight.

Avoid eating huge and heavy meals at night.

Do you love to carbo load at night? Or you enjoy getting your sweet fix before bed? Or maybe you like to munch on greasy food like pizza or burger before you go to sleep? If that is the case, it does not come as a surprise that you find it difficult to fall asleep at night.

For you to sleep deeply, your hunger hormones must be high. Sadly, eating carbohydrates can lower it and will ultimately, affect the quality of your sleep. Moreover, greasy food can bring about gastrointestinal discomfort which can also prevent you from enjoying a deep and restful sleep.

If possible, only consume foods that are rich in tryptophan which can stimulate the release of melatonin. These foods can help aid sleep.

Do not drink alcohol before going to sleep.

Since alcohol is a depressant, many people think that drinking alcohol at night can help them fall asleep faster and better. But the truth is the opposite. There are two ways as to how alcohol can prevent you from getting deep sleep.

First off, alcohol can cause disruptive sleep because of possible gastrointestinal issues like hyperacidity. If you have gastric reflux, then you may not even be able to achieve some sleep because the alcohol may induce reflux.

Another way alcohol can prevent you from getting good sleep is it can cause the muscles of your throat to relax, letting your tongue roll back and blocking your airway in the process. As a result, you may experience snoring problems and worse, sleep apnea.

To know more on how alcohol can affect sleep, please watch this video:

Don’t work out a few hours before bedtime.

There is no doubt that regular exercise can help you fall asleep quicker and more soundly. However, you need to pay attention to the time of your workout.

Many people think that working out at night can help them feel more tired. Hence, they would feel asleep easier and better. The sad part is, the opposite effect happens. When you work out, you are pumping blood all over your body, stimulating your muscles and brain, making you feel more energetic and lively than sleepy. As a result, you would just feel tired but can’t sleep.

Regulate the temperature of your room.

When it comes to a temperature that is conducive for sleep, people have mixed reactions. Some like it hot while some people would prefer to sleep in a cold room. Regardless of your preference, studies have shown that a temperature of around 65 degrees Fahrenheit is the best temperature for sleep.

Please keep in mind that the temperature of your body goes down when you start to feel drowsy. Sleeping in a hot room can combat this natural body cycle and may prevent you from getting the deep sleep that you want.

If you are prone to getting cold at night, you can simply wrap a heavy blanket around your body.

Invest in mattress, sheets, and pillows of good quality.

The quality of your bedding and bedding accessories can have a significant effect on the quality of your sleep.

When it comes to mattresses and pillows, you will be faced with two choices—firm or soft. There is no right or wrong choice with regards to this. You need to consider your personal preference when making the decision. Because of this, it is recommended that you read various product reviews about the mattress that you are eyeing. You may also want to test the mattress or pillow out before buying it.

With regards to your pillow and bed sheets, it is recommended that you go for ones that will not irritate or scratch your skin. You may wish to consider the sheet’s thread count and fabric type to ensure your comfort during your sleep.

Invest in mattress, sheets, and pillows of good quality

Diffuse oils.

If you want to get deep sleep, you have to get all your senses ready for sleep. For your sense of smell, you will be happy to know that certain scents can induce sleep and relaxation. The best scent for this purpose would be lavender.

With this in mind, you can try diffusing a lavender essential oil in your room an hour before you go to bed.

Final Words

The quality of our sleep can have a big impact on our mental and physical health. If you wish to maintain your good health, we highly recommended that you practice all these tips on how to get deep sleep as early as now.

You don’t have to follow all these tips, but you have to make sure that you will stick to your chosen suggestions for a certain amount of time so you can see its effects on your health. By doing this, you can have a better understanding of your sleep habits and patterns, and you can adjust them accordingly.

Since the cellular technology revolution, a lot of gadgets have evolved. From simple analog phones that can only be used for calls, now we have smart phones that provide mobile entertainment. These smartphones and tablets, with the right programs and applications, can help boost the cognitive development of growing children.

However, recent research showed that too much screen time could be detrimental to children’s development. It becomes more dangerous when these little kids are left with the screens without supervision.

Leaving little kids with screens as distractions may seem to free up and give the caregiver some time. However, in the long run, kids that are exposed with too much screens may make less and less active which can lead to other health conditions.

This is why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that toddlers and school-age children have limited access to screens and other forms of electronic entertainment daily. According to them, school-age children should be limited to two hours while toddlers should only spend an hour with electronic devices and screens.

Now, what do we do to entertain kids while helping develop their social and cognitive skills? Well, you may want to ask your granddad what sort of activities they did when they were little!

Here are some recommended activities for kids that helps in the motor and brain development of growing kids. I know it would take some preparations, but it will surely be fun!

Too much screen time could be detrimental to children’s development

Best Healthy Activities for Kids to Try

Let’s start with the healthy activities that you can prepare for toddlers. We will also look at some play kits that you can prepare for them. You will be surprised that some of the materials you would need can be readily found in your kitchen!

For parents and caregivers, these activities may look like simple games. But for your toddlers, these games are not only fun, but it also helps them develop some skills!

Try some of these activities and have fun with your toddler.

1. Sensory Box (recommended for children at least 12 months and above)

As the name suggests, this activity involves using the senses. A sensory box helps develop tactile skills and improve fine motor development. It’s not hard to prepare, and you can use any object you want and place it inside the sensory box. So, here are the stuff you need to prepare and how it works.

• Materials

a. A shoe box. Make sure it’s clean and dust free.

b. A piece of fabric that would cover the entire opening of the box.

c. Hot glue would help you fasten the fabric covering the opening of the box.

d. Pairs of small toys and other objects. Make sure they are not too small to avoid the risk of choking. You can use dominoes, cubes, golf balls, tomatoes, toy blocks, clothespin, crayons, and the likes. Make sure that there are two of each item.

A sensory box helps develop tactile skills

• Preparation

a. Clean the shoebox and wipe the surface with a damp cloth to pick up dust and other potential allergens. You can use other boxes if you like.

b. Next, cover the box with a sheet of fabric.

c. Cut a three-inch slit on the fabric. That’s just enough to fit your toddle’s hand and fish items inside.

d. Take a picture of the items you intend to put inside on a clean background and have it printed.

e. Place the toys and other objects you have prepared inside the box.

• Mechanics

a. Point which item you want your toddler to take out from the box from.

b. Have your toddler insert his hands through the slit and locate the object without peeking inside.

c. Give your toddler a praise when he successfully locates the item.

d. Ask your toddler to fish the other pair inside the box.

e. Again, when successful, give your toddler a praise.

This game helps your child develop fine motor skills by fishing the objects inside the box. Also, while learning motor skills, your child also learns about shape and size differentiation. With the visual cue from the pictures, your child also learns visual recognition while playing. Critical thinking is also involved in searching the right piece and the other pair of toy.

This game may seem simple, but with enough toys and objects, this would translate to hours of fun!

You may also want to try the sensory bin activities shown in this video:

2. Ball Kicks (recommended for children 18 months and above)

This is a simple game that needs guidance and instructions from the parent or the caregiver for it to be more fun. This game intends to improve your child’s gross motor skill while having fun. This game is not recommended for toddlers who just started walking.

• Materials

a. Paper cups or plastic cups. Plastic pylons would be nice, but cups would do fine.

b. A ball that’s just the right size for your toddler.

• Preparation

a. You can color the cups or number the cups to help guide your toddler while playing.

• Mechanics

a. Arrange the cups in a semi-circle with the numbers facing your child.

b. Have your child positioned about three feet in front of the cups.

c. Ask your child to kick the ball towards the cup.

d. To make things more fun, call the number or color of cups you want them to hit.

The gross motor skills are highly improved by this simple game. Make sure that you encourage your child while playing as they might stumble on the first few kicks. Move the target closer if your child can’t hit the cups. Playing ball kicks will strengthen the legs and improve your child’s balance.

3. Coloring Books (recommended for children 18 months and above)

Coloring books are classic activity kits that would keep your children entertained and your walls clean (if you know what I mean!). This game is a lot of fun and helps children learn colors. While learning the colors, this activity also helps develop fine motor skills on the hands and improve concentration. It’s best to provide a pattern to help the child recognize which colors to use.

• Materials

a. Coloring book. If you have a printer at home, you can find templates online and have them printed.

b. Non-toxic crayons.

Coloring books

• Preparation

a. Set-up your kid’s activity table.

b. Place the coloring book on the table and provide the crayons.

• Mechanics

a. If your toddler hasn’t learned the colors yet, this is the perfect time to teach them about it.

b. Guide your toddler and point out which colors to use.

c. Have your child repeat what you say to reinforce learning.

d. Give praises as your child learns colors.

The coloring book is a simple activity that improves your child’s fine motor skill. This also improves hand and eye coordination and helps your child learn colors. As your child learns about the colors, let them do the activity without a pattern.

4. Puzzles (can be introduced as early as 18 months)

Puzzles are another classic kit that kids can enjoy. Starting at 18 months, you can introduce your toddler with puzzles. You may start with 4 pieces of puzzle initially and evaluate how well your kid is doing. At age 2, children can accomplish up to twelve pieces of the puzzle. At age 3, you can give your child up to 50piece of puzzle.

Puzzles are great toys that help develop hand-eye coordination and critical thinking. With your assistance, building puzzles are fun!

• Materials

a. Age appropriate puzzles.

Puzzles are another classic kit that kids can enjoy

• Preparation

a. Set-up your child’s activity table.

b. Lay down the piece of puzzle in random.

• Mechanics

a. When first introducing your toddler to puzzles, make sure that you guide them step by step to avoid frustration.

b. Only give them the recommended number of pieces that can be easily managed according to age.

c. Encourage your child while playing and don’t forget to give praises.

Take note the number of puzzle pieces you give your child. Too many puzzle pieces can be overwhelming and intimidating. Make sure that you guide your child while doing puzzles and don’t forget to gradually increase the difficulty.

In addition to these activities, you also need to find ways on how to encourage your child to eat healthy!

Summary

There are a variety of activities that can be done on screens. Even the conventional games have versions for your tablet and smartphones! But do take note that there are games and activities that are best done in the conventional way.

Activities with your kid promote fine and gross motor development as well as increase the bond between the kid and the caregiver. It may be convenient to leave children in front of screens, but, it may not be the best method of learning skills. Often, gross and fine motor skills are neglected since physical movements are very limited in front of a screen.

I know sometimes we get too busy. But The games listed above won’t take much preparation time and would improve your bond with your kid. Now, don’t hesitate to try them! I’m sure you, too, will have a lot of fun preparing and playing with your toddler!

As human beings, we roughly spend a third of our lives sleeping. That means that for around 8 hours a day, we lie on comfortably on our soft bed. But sometimes, no matter how soft are beds are, we wake up with some discomfort on our backs? Now, why is it that we get that soreness even when we have the softest and most comfortable bed there is?

Well, it has something to do with the human anatomy, and many experts have been campaigning and advocating sleeping on the floor! Yep, you heard me right! Sleeping on the floor, according to experts, is better than sleeping in a mattress. Why? Let’s find out!

The Sleeping Posture

We know about the proper posture, right? Yes, we know how important posture is when we are standing upright. We know that proper alignment of the spine is maintained with proper posture. This decreases the likelihood of getting your back sore. However, when sleeping, we fail to notice our crooked posture!

How important posture is when we are standing upright

The Neutral Spine

When we lie down on our beds, we often forget about our posture and assume whatever comfortable position we wish. The problem here is that, if we sleep roughly 8 hours daily, that translates to 8 hours of misaligned spine!

Studies show that the best sleeping position is lying on our backs. This keeps the spine in a neutral position.

Dangers of Soft Beds

Soft mattresses do not permit us to sleep straight on our backs. When lying on soft beds, the natural tendency for our body is to sink on the plush bed. The bed hugs us back and does not offer any resistance. This may feel comfortable at first, but, it would not allow your spine to stretch in its neutral position.

Soft beds would hug the curves of our backs and would put stress on the opposite curve of the joints. This can lead to disc inflammation, muscle soreness, nerve inflammation, spasm, cramping, stiff neck, back pain, and other discomforts that may extend to some other parts of the lower limbs.

Benefits of Sleeping on the Floor

Beds are globally available and globally used for sleeping. Every night, especially when you had a long day, and you are tired, you look forward to lying on your bed. It would seem like an insane idea to give up the bed and sleep on the floor instead. It sounds counterintuitive to sleep on the floor when a bed is available!

But hey, listen, here are the benefits of sleeping on the floor:

1. Get rid of back pain.

You may not notice back pain until there’s too much of it. We are so accustomed of sleeping on soft mattresses that we fail to recognize, even ignore the back pain. What do we do about that back pain? Well, we get expensive therapies and medications to get rid of it. For a while, the therapy and medication work. But later, the pain goes back.

Get rid of back pain

Sleeping on the floor helps you get rid of that back pain. When you finally make the switch, your spine returns to the neutral position and relieves the pressure from the joints. Can you imagine breaking free from back pain?

Read more: The Best Mattress Topper for Back Pain

2. Get rid of the stiff neck.

Because our bodies sink while sleeping on a mattress, our head is prone to be in an awkward position. Well, the crucial part that connects the head to the body, the neck, may become sore. Sleeping on the floor aligns the cervical spine and helps eliminate stiff neck.

3. Improves posture.

When sleeping on the floor, the entire span of the spine falls on the neutral position. Not only does this neutral position eliminate pain, but it also improves your standing and sitting posture. As your spine returns to its natural curvature, your standing and sitting posture improve as well.

4. Better sleep quality.

Lying on the floor encourages peaceful and more restful sleep. The muscles are more relaxed while lying down. With a more restful sleep, you will be waking up with more energy.

5. Good mood.

When you get to have that peaceful rest, definitely, you could start your day easy! With better sleep comes better mood when you wake up.

6. Frees up space.

Getting rid of the bed means that you would free space inside your bedroom.

If you want to know what is the doctor’s perspective on floor sleeping, please watch this video:

Things You May Want to Consider When Sleeping on the Floor

Consider a Mat

Sleeping directly on the floor, as cavemen did, may result in some other form of back pain. If you sleep directly on the floor without any form of a cushion, your shoulder blades and your hips will hurt badly in the morning!

A towel, yoga mat, or carpet would do great in protecting your back from this kind of pain.

Consider an Egg Crate Mattress

Sleeping on the floor may sound a little intimidating, and the first thought you may come up with is more back pain instead of relieving it. When the spine gets properly aligned, back pain starts to go away. To counter pain that may arise from the bony prominence on the back, an egg crate mattress can be of great help.

An egg crate mattress topper is not thick enough for the body to sink. It gives your back enough cushion to comfortably sleep. The mattress stays firm while it’s on the floor giving you enough cushion without sinking.

Consider an Egg Crate Mattress

Now all you need to do is figure out how to increase your melatonin levels and you can enjoy good night’s sleep!

Summary

Giving up your bed may sound like a drastic move. Although sleeping on the floor is backed by research and anatomical evidence, it may not be for everyone. So, before you ditch your bed, you may want to try it out first!

To facilitate your switch from bed to the floor, you may want to use a cervical pillow instead of your conventional pillow. This will help you align your back and your head to avoid getting a stiff neck. A rolled towel will pass as a cervical pillow if you don’t have one at home.

Putting a pillow under your knees would further help align your lower back and relieve pressure on the thoracic region.

You don’t have to put up with the back pain and stiff neck. You can try sleeping on the floor and see how much it reduces the pain and improves the quality of your sleep!