… got up on the wrong foot? Most of the time, a bad mood isn’t the result of how you got up, but how you slept before it.
According to a Harvard University study, while swapping well-deserved sleep for sleepless nights is tempting, lack of sleep can negatively affect the mind and body – sleep deprivation is not a torture method for nothing.
In the home office in particular, it is not easy to maintain the usual wake-sleep rhythm. What was probably a tempting change from everyday office life for many at the beginning can turn into a real challenge after a few weeks. Although the time at home tempts you to sleep in, sleep is not just sleep.
Sleeping longer doesn’t mean getting a good night’s sleep. That’s why we invite you to put your habits to the test. With our tips you will soon be able to sleep well again and jump out of bed fresh in the morning – despite working from home!
Keep regular sleep times
Humans are creatures of habit. At a time when everyday routines are difficult to follow, it is all the more important to always go to bed at around the same time. Almost more important: the times to get up.
Sleeping in disproportionately long on the weekend can make it difficult to close your eyes, especially on Sunday evenings. There is a threat of a vicious circle of pressure to catch up on any sleep and fear of not being able to fall asleep again. So it’s best to set the alarm clock at a reasonable time on the weekend.
Sleep better through exercise
Anyone who currently works from home has probably already noticed that exercise is becoming a scarce commodity. The way to work is completely eliminated, the way to the coffee machine is shorter, the after-lunch stroll with your favorite colleague is missing. Instead, we sit on chairs that are not always designed for 8-hour shifts.
At the end of the day, you may not be busy at all, or worse: By sitting for hours, your muscles are hardened, you are cramped and your tendons are shortened. Pain in the back and legs can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep
That’s why it’s important to keep moving!
Thanks to the live online courses, you don’t have to do without your daily portion of sport: whether in the living room, in the kitchen, in the garden or in Paris, Rome or Brussels – you can train with your favorite partners across Europe as usual or but also discover new opportunities for you that are fun.
You can read here which specific options the live online courses offer you.
Sleeping well also helps you perform better: The body needs time to regenerate after exercise. Sleep researchers know that the organism releases more growth hormones during sleep. These repair small damage in the muscles and also stimulate muscle growth. The body needs sleep in order to better internalize newly learned movements. Especially if you do technical sports, getting enough sleep makes your training even more efficient.
Natural helpers when falling asleep
One sheep, two sheep, three … and the brain is still working at full speed, restful sleep is out of the question. But instead of perhaps taking medication – which interferes with the process of falling asleep – natural home remedies for sleep disorders are a better choice. CBD oil, for example, with its ingredients – cannabinoids in combination with melatonin – promotes sleep and at the same time helps to reduce the “fear of not being able to sleep”.
You can read here what effect the different sleep phases have on your body.
Another natural food supplement, for example, is magnesium. Magnesium is essential for muscle regeneration. It helps to relax the muscle – thus your whole body relaxes and you can demonstrably sleep better and deeper. It is important to pay attention to the addition of “magnesium citrate” to the dietary supplement: This can be better absorbed by the body and thus increases the effectiveness and therefore the quality of sleep.
Bye, Bye screen
Granted, this tip is really not new. And yet it feels rather neglected – or it is actually more difficult than expected to put down the cell phone in the evening and close the laptop – especially now that many of us work where we live and sleep.
In fact, the quality of sleep without using a screen is completely different – and that is what matters when we talk about “sleeping better”. Because even those who fall asleep peacefully with television and get their seven to nine hours of sleep are comparatively less recovered than after a 30-minute screen break before going to bed.
Additionally, even the LED lights produced by chargers and TVs in standby mode can affect the quality of sleep. So if you’re taking this advice really seriously, charge your phone, tablet, and laptop outside of the bedroom and make sure you don’t look at screens for at least an hour before bed.
Beware of caffeine
In times of Skype meetings for coffee, it is almost natural not only to drink some in the morning. If you long for a good night’s sleep, you should count how many cups of coffee you drink each day. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, caffeine can affect the quality of sleep even 7 hours before bed.
It is therefore best not to drink any caffeinated drinks after 2 p.m. Don’t forget: Caffeine is also found in cola, green tea and even dark chocolate!
Changing your own habits often helps you fall asleep better and stay asleep. We hope that we have given you some valuable suggestions with our good sleep despite home office tips. If you want to find out more about how to stay fit in the home office, click here. We definitely wish you a good and restful night!