9 Easy Ways to Optimize Sleep Quality

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During hot summer nights, do you often fold back the sheets from your legs? Are you keen on strenuous exercise at night? Is your bedroom messy? These might be some habits to avoid for better sleep and overall health.

Nine Practices to Adopt for Good Quality Sleep

1. Tidy and Freshen Your Sleep Environment

Minimize clutter in your bedroom. Keep it tidy, quiet, and well-ventilated. Fresh air will keep harmful bacteria and molds at bay.

2. Direct Fans and Drafts Away From the Body

During hot summer nights, many people direct electric fans to blow on over their bodies or open a window wide while sleeping. A wise and ancient saying reminds us that: “Avoiding the wind is like avoiding the sword.” This is especially true during sleep time to keep the body from becoming chilled or ill.

I’ve twice had patients experience an interesting reaction to sleeping in windy rooms. One had used an electric fan directed over his body—blowing from head to toe for an entire hot summer night. The other slept in a room with the window open on a winter night, with a cold breeze blowing over his face while he slept. In both cases, they awoke with one-sided facial nerve paralysis.

3. Keep the Body Covered From the Calf Down

If the feet are exposed to wind while sleeping, the qi and blood in the body will not flow as normal, and when you wake up the next day, you may suffer from numbness, limpness, rheumatic joint pain, or other ailments. So even during hot nights, it is best to keep your calves under the coverage of a sheet.