You constantly want to sleep, go to bed early, have difficulty getting up, but still feel overwhelmed and exhausted. There can be many reasons for this, from the wrong bed to watching horror movies in the evenings.

Today, special attention is paid to the study of sleep, since its quality and duration affect the health of the whole organism. Don't underestimate the night's rest and go for a walk until midnight and then fall back on your bed and pass out. In order for your sleep to be of good quality, you need to prepare your body and brain for it, and only then calmly go to bed.

How much sleep properly

Doctors advise to devote at least 8 hours of sleep a day. The body needs so much to fully regain its strength. But besides this, one more fact must be taken into account. Sleep consists of several phases, including shallow and deep sleep.

Each phase lasts an hour and a half, and if you wake up not towards the end, but in the middle or at the beginning, then the natural process of sleep will be interrupted, and you will feel that you have not slept well. Therefore, always set your alarm so that it wakes you up in a multiple of 1.5 hours. for example 6, 7.5, 9 hours and so on.

Keep in mind that sleeping too long is just as harmful as not getting enough sleep. If you are in the kingdom of Morpheus for more than 10-12 hours, then all day you will feel weakness, clouding of consciousness, distraction and dizziness.

In addition, there are special techniques that allow you to spend much less time on sleep than we are used to. For example, some studies show that you can sleep from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. and then once for 30-60 minutes during the day. Such a schedule will keep you feeling alert and clear of mind. There are many other ways to shorten your night's sleep, but you need to take it seriously.

How to go to bed properly

To sleep productively, and you wake up with pleasure, you need to prepare for it. Here's what psychologists advise to do in the evenings when you are going to go to bed:

• take a warm bath with essential oils;
• wash off cosmetics;
• ventilate the bedroom;
• turn off the lights and TV;
• refrain from watching news and criminal programs;
• take an evening walk;
• listen to classical music.

All actions to prepare for sleep are aimed at relaxing the body and brain, so leave thoughts about work, study, problems and other moments that cause negativity for tomorrow. If you find it difficult to get rid of obsessive thoughts, drink tea with chamomile or mint, an herbal sedative (valerian, motherwort), or light an aroma lamp with essential oils of lavender, frankincense or lemon balm.

The emotions you fall asleep with directly affect how you sleep and what you dream about. Make sure that nothing interferes with your rest, eliminate noise, turn off the TV and radio receivers and lights throughout the house.

Psychologists advise lying in bed thinking about something pleasant or dreaming. When you do this, hormones of happiness are released, which help the body to recover faster and even cope with ailments.

It happens that you cannot fall asleep for a long time, choosing a position that is more comfortable. And what do scientists say about this, and is there a universal option that will help you fall asleep faster and wake up easier. We hasten to upset you, there is no such position, but you can choose the one that will suit you.

1. On the back. This is how most therapists, cosmetologists and orthopedists recommend sleeping. If you choose a low pillow that will slightly raise your head, then your spine will "thank you." Also, this pose is useful for maintaining the youthfulness of the facial skin.
2. On the side. This pose is more natural than the first. Therefore, it is easier to relax and fall asleep in it. It is no less useful for the spine and neck, but due to the contact of the face with the pillow in the morning, you may notice hitching, and eventually the appearance of early wrinkles.
3. On the stomach. The most unfortunate position in the opinion of doctors, but the most comfortable in the opinion of people. In this position, the spine suffers most of all, in the morning you will certainly feel pain and discomfort in the back and neck. Also, the skin of the face and chest, which is under pressure all night, suffers. The only plus of this position is that it suppresses snoring.

It's up to you, of course, to choose how to sleep. But then do not complain about constant aching back pain, loss of energy, lack of sleep and other troubles.

Which side is the right one to sleep on

If you have chosen a position on your side, then a logical question arises: which one to sleep on. There is a prejudice that it is categorically impossible to lie on the left side, since the heart is there. This is nothing more than a myth and such a dream cannot harm your health. The fact is that the heart is located almost in the middle of the chest with an error of several millimeters. It is much more dangerous in this case to sleep on your stomach.

But if you suffer from heartburn or the involuntary entry of stomach contents into the esophagus, then sleeping on your left side will benefit you. This position reduces the production of stomach acid and prevents it from going up the esophagus. At the same time, sleeping on the right side acts exactly the opposite.

Do not put your hands under the pillow, but stretch them along your body. This will help prevent pain and swelling in the upper extremities. If you're uncomfortable, place another pillow in front of you and hug it. Doctors advise putting something soft between your legs for comfort.

How to sleep properly on a pillow

Since we are talking about pillows, then it's time to talk about how to choose them correctly and sleep on them. Buying this bedding should be taken very seriously:

• give preference to natural and hypoallergenic fillers;
• don't save money on a pillow;
• the shape of the product must meet orthopedic standards;
• the pillow should not be soft or too hard;
• if you sleep on your back, choose flat models;
• if you prefer a position on your side, buy high pillows;
• if you want a regular pillow, then buy a stretched model. In the position on its side, fold it in half;
• for diseases of the spine, especially its cervical spine, before buying, contact an orthopedist who will recommend a specific option.

The most important thing is that the pillow gives the body a natural position. At first, you will be uncomfortable sleeping in this position, but very soon you will get used to it and will remember your old pillow like a bad dream.

Do not give up on a pillow while you sleep, it will harm your spine and will not allow you to sleep. Sleeping in this position interferes with the flow of blood to the brain, slows down its chemical processes, and, over time, causes some diseases.

We wrote in more detail about how to sleep properly on a pillow.

Another important part of good sleep is having the right mattress. Today the market for these products is so diverse that it can be very difficult to decide on a specific option.

Deservedly popular are mattresses with independent spring units, they provide maximum comfort and convenience. The spirals inside the product follow the contours of your body, and if you get up, they return to their original position.

On the upper and lower sides, the springs are covered with an additional layer, on which the softness of the product depends. If you suffer from diseases of the lumbar spine, then choose holofiber or polyurethane foam. It is also recommended for older people.

The most versatile is considered to be a mattress of medium hardness; its additional layer is made of latex or coconut flakes. This option would be optimal for children and adolescents whose spine is still in the growth stage.

According to Feng Shui, it is not important in what position you sleep, but how you are located in relation to the cardinal points and how objects around you are arranged. Here are some popular actionable tips from oriental sages that will help you sleep well and comfortably:

• do not lie down with your feet to the door, this is how the dead are laid;
• do not sleep on the floor, this place accumulates most of the negative energy;
• do not put a TV or computer in front of the bed, you will have a headache in the morning;
• separate the sleeping and working area;
• when decorating a bedroom, prefer muted tones, according to the yin sign (green, blue, purple);
• sleep is disturbed by portraits of relatives placed near the bed, and vases of flowers;
• buy dream catchers, they promote high-quality and quick rash.

How to sleep correctly on the cardinal points
Add to each other the last two digits of the year of birth (if you got a two-digit number, then add up the two received digits again).

Then, if you are a woman, add five, if a man, subtract from 10. If you get the number 1, then direct the sleeping place to the east, if 2, then to the west, 3 to the north, 4 to the south. Number 5 indicates that you need to sleep in the south-west, 6 - northeast, 7 - south-west, 8 - north-west, 9 - southeast.

Example: your year of birth is 1985. Add 8 + 5 = 13. Then add 1 + 3, it turns out 4. If you are a woman - add 5 to 4 and get 9, if a man - then subtract 4 from 10 and get 6.

If a night's sleep has become a real nightmare for you, and in the morning you feel sleepy and overwhelmed, it's time to take urgent measures. Follow the advice of doctors and sages, do not neglect your health and you will feel what a real rest is.

Video: how best to sleep for an infant