5 Healthy Things to Do Before Sleeping

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Sleep is essential for better health, and science actually proves it. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, sleep plays a vital role in promoting good health and well-being because it enables the body to support healthy brain function and maintain good physical health. In fact, Harvard reports that several studies linked insufficient sleep to weight gain. Here are some good habits to keep in mind before heading off to good, quality sleep every night.

1. Drink water instead of wine. Night caps can be a relaxing way to unwind after a long day at work, but a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism-published study by researchers at the Wayne State University, in Detroit, Michigan shows that "Alcohol has extensive effects on sleep and daytime sleepiness. In healthy people, acute high alcohol doses disturb sleep." Drinking water instead can help the body stay hydrated throughout the night.

2. Take a shower. Temperature plays a role in having a good night's rest. Men's Fitness recommends taking a hot shower to increase the body's core temperature about 90 minutes before going to bed. According to Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and author of “The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep”, "That drop in core body temperature is a signal to reduce melatonin," the hormone which regulates sleep and wake cycles, and makes people sleepy.

3. Log off earlier. Electronics are a huge part of everyday life, but according to the National Sleep Foundation, there is "robust scientific data documenting the role of light in promoting wakefulness". This is because the photoreceptors in the retina sense light and dark, sending signals to the brain and altering the circadian rhythm of the body. Furthermore, the National Sleep Foundation reports that children who leave electronics on at night are more likely to fall asleep in school. Log off all devices or keep them outside the bedroom for a better night's sleep.

4. Write on a journal. Regardless if a person has anxiety or not, writing down one's thoughts or troubles is effective in clearing the mind and falling asleep. "Stop Worrying and Go to Sleep: How to Put Insomnia to Bed for Good" author Steve Orma told Huffington Post, "Get a pad of paper and dump everything that you're worried about, whether that's sleep, your job, your relationships or otherwise. You can't deal with that stuff now. An active mind will keep you awake."

5. Meditate. Elle reports that consistent mindfulness practice can result in more efficient sleep. One of the ways to meditate is to focus on one's breathing. Author and spiritual guru Sonia Choquette told Elle, "Imagine a single color in your mind's eye, eyes closed, as you breathe. For example, inhale red. Exhale red. Then pause. Inhale green. Then exhale green. Then pause. Then another color. And so on."