Sleep rhythm – how to change it and sleep better again

A disturbed sleep rhythm damages our health & robs us of energy. With these measures you can reliably change it and get back to healthy sleep.

Hardly any other activity is as important for the body and mind as sleeping. The entire organism regenerates itself during sleep.

It is all the more problematic when one’s own sleep rhythm is disturbed.

Today I will go into more detail on this topic and explain what you can do to have a positive effect on your night’s sleep.

In addition to some information on the subject of sleep rhythms and types of sleep, I will also present some methods and products that can help you to improve a disturbed sleep rhythm.

Among other things, this post deals with the following topics:

I very much hope that these explanations provide you with useful information that will help you to recognize your sheep rhythm and, if necessary, to change it. Because there is nothing more important than a sound sleep.

What is sleep rhythm?

The sleep rhythm includes the times when you are asleep or awake. The more regular this rhythm is, the easier it is to sleep healthily.

Unfortunately, there are many external and internal influences that can disrupt the sleep rhythm.

 

The consequences are problems falling asleep, restless sleep and a feeling that the body and mind are not rested.

Note: Everyone has their own sleep rhythm. So there are no general rules as to when you should sleep.

But there is a little bit of help: your own sleep type.

Different sleep types have different sleep rhythms

Surely you also know people who are much more active in the morning than in the evening.

There are also people who find it difficult to start the day, but who can hardly be stopped in the evening.

Depending on which sleep type you belong to, you should adapt your sleep rhythm to these preferences.

  • There is no point in getting an afteractive person to fall asleep early and wake up early.
  • Likewise, those who are active in the morning should follow their natural rhythm and go to sleep early.

The more you go against the natural tendencies, the more difficult it will be for you to find a healthy sleep rhythm.

What influences the sleep rhythm

People get used to pretty much all possible circumstances and circumstances, no matter how adverse they may be. The body adapts and develops its own personal sleep rhythm.

Sleep when it’s dark

For many thousands of years, people’s sleep behavior was very clearly determined by the change between day and night.

People fell asleep when it got dark in the evening and woke up when it got light again the next morning.

This tendency is deeply rooted in us.

Fact: There is even a special sleep hormone called melatonin that develops in the body when it gets dark.

The electric light and the modern requirements for the early days of school and work have ensured in the last few centuries that the sleep rhythm of most people is no longer based on the position of the sun.

Instead of being woken up naturally by the morning brightness, an alarm clock rings on almost every German bed in the morning. Mostly at times when it is still dark outside.

Most people’s sleep patterns have changed dramatically over the past few centuries.

So if you are constantly tired and feeling weak, then it is best to read on – in this article I will show you what measures you can take to eliminate the causes of a disturbed sleep rhythm.

Other negative changes in sleep patterns

In addition to the early days of school and work, there are many other factors that can negatively affect sleep patterns.

I have summarized the most important ones here:

  • Work stress : Those who work too many hours a day usually do not find enough rest at night to properly relax the body. Stress has a negative impact on sleep patterns.
  • Time change: Even a small shift such as a change to summer or winter time causes problems with the sleep rhythm in sensitive people.
  • Shift work: There is nothing worse for the sleep rhythm than a constant change in the sleep and wake phases. Many shift workers therefore have great problems finding a healthy sleep rhythm.
  • Jetlag: Anyone who has flown against the clock knows the negative effects of jetlag . The body’s internal clock reacts to the changed times of the day with many problems. Among other things, it is difficult to fall asleep.

Reading Tip: Here is an overview of the best sleep aids to quickly lead to restful sleep.

Of course, the sleeping environment itself can also ensure short nights:

  1. The wrong pillow brings the spine out of balance and creates tension.
  2. The right mattress ( e.g. made of latex or gel foam ) is immensely important – you spend around a third of the day on it.
  3. Mattress toppers and mattress pads made of visco foam provide additional comfort and promote healthy sleep.
  4. A cheap option is a suitable duvet – there are many options: for example, summer duvets or 4-season duvets .

There are also a few other things you can do to get a healthy sleep again:

What to do when your sleep rhythm is broken

Since hardly anyone can do anything about the given working hours – regardless of whether they correspond to their own sleep rhythm or not – there are often situations in which the ideal sleep rhythm deviates significantly from the actual sleep rhythm.

There are different ways and products that can help to positively influence a broken sleep rhythm.

In the following chapter I will introduce both products and home remedies that can help you change your sleep rhythm.

As always, however, the following also applies here: an online guide does not replace medical advice. Always consult a specialist if you have serious complaints!

The best remedy for a healthy sleep rhythm is routine

Experts agree that adults should sleep at least eight hours a day, preferably at the same times every time.

 

Unfortunately, most people these days rarely get a full eight hours of sleep. The European average is seven hours of sleep per night.

Even on the weekend you should keep your normal getting up rhythm.

Rule: The more regularly you follow the same sleep times, the easier it will be to adjust your sleep rhythm.

Those who go to sleep much later on Fridays and Saturdays and then stay in bed longer in the morning are seriously disrupting the sleep rhythm that has been established throughout the week.

Tip: If the times of falling asleep and waking up are also based on the darkness of the day, it will be even easier to find a good sleep rhythm.

Alternatively, you can equip your bedroom with noise protection curtains, which are usually also opaque and dark.

What you can do yourself to influence your sleep rhythm

In order to be able to influence your own sleep rhythm, you should first determine what type of sleep you are. Therefore answers to the following questions are important:

  • Are you more of a morning person or a night owl?
  • How many hours of sleep does your body need?
  • What sleep rhythm have you learned?

In order to determine your sleep type, you should record your sleep behavior over a few weeks. What time did you fall asleep, what time did you wake up, how did you feel in the morning?

Does your sleep behavior change on the weekend or on vacation?

Tip: Thanks to modern technology, there are now even more precise ways to monitor sleep .

With the data collected, it is immediately clear to most people what type of sleep they are and whether they actually have problems with their sleep rhythm.

Change the sleep rhythm

If you have enough data, check in the next step how regular or irregular your sleep pattern is.

Then try to set it up as evenly as possible.

Fixed rituals before going to bed, such as a hot bath or an evening walk, can help to internalize the sleep rhythm. Others prefer to listen to relaxed music or make an entry in their sleep diary.

In addition, sleep experts recommend that you adjust your sleep according to the times of day.

  • Go to sleep when it gets dark outside and try to wake up when it gets light again.
  • It is particularly advisable to avoid artificial light (e.g. from TV or smartphones ) in the evening .

This rhythm corresponds to our natural disposition.

Home remedies that restore the rhythm of sleep

In addition to a good sleep routine, other home remedies such as herbal tea or a glass of warm milk can also help prepare the body for rest soon.

Also, avoid disturbing noises or too much light in the bedroom.

Some readers have also had great experiences with feng shui for the bedroom .

If you are regularly woken up by roaring cars, consider ear plugs for sleeping .

Products to change the rhythm

In addition to the changes in behavior, there are also various products that you can use to influence your sleep rhythm. In the following I will introduce you to the most important product groups:

Light alarm clock for a new sleep rhythm

Light alarm clocks are alarm clocks that wake you up with increasingly intense light instead of a signal tone or music.

 

A daylight lamp is activated at the preset wake-up time and the light wakes you up more gently. Light alarm clocks can simulate natural daylight, especially when working shifts in a darkened bedroom.

  • One of the current top models comes from Philips: The Somneo light alarm clock also helps you fall asleep.
  • A slowly pulsing red light helps regulate your breathing and help you relax properly and fall asleep faster.

You can also find detailed information on light alarm clocks in this article on ” Light alarm clocks in the test : purchase advice with all important information”.

Another particularly popular model is the Philips HF3520 light alarm clock .

Apps that help you understand your sleep better

Applications are small software programs that you can load onto your smartphone or tablet.

There are very special apps that can help you record your sleep behavior. Some apps work in conjunction with special wristbands that specifically record movements and heart rates during sleep.

 

One of the most famous sleep apps is called Sleep as android . You can find it as a download in the Google Play Store.

This post provides additional information about sleep apps .

Earplugs prevent a disturbed sleep rhythm

If ambient noise disturbs your sleep rhythm, earplugs can help you fall asleep better and more calmly. There are very different models at very attractive prices.

If you want to try earplugs for the first time, I can recommend the earplugs test box. It contains 2 wax ear plugs, 2 silicone ear plugs and 2 plastic ear plugs.

So you can take your time to try out which material for earplugs you like best.

A detailed report on earplugs can be found under the title “The best earplugs for a good night’s sleep” .

Music pillows for a perfect background noise

For those who find earplugs too uncomfortable, music pillows are a practical alternative to falling asleep with soft noises.

With a music pillow, you can play your favorite music or natural tones very quietly and directly in your ear without disturbing other people with the sound.

  • In order to supply the music pillows with music, you usually need an external player.
  • This means that you connect your MP3 player or your smartphone to the pillow with a cable and control “the program” and the volume from there.

My tip for music pillows is this pillow from iWile:

You can find a detailed report on music pillows with many product examples if you follow the link.

further reading

If you want to study the subject of sleep in more detail, I can also recommend these book titles for further reading:

What to avoid if you have trouble sleeping

Just as you can positively influence your sleep rhythm, there are behaviors and products that negatively influence it.

In this list I have summarized the most common reasons for problems with sleep:

  • Irregular sleep times
  • (Incorrect) use of melatonin supplements
  • Too frequent power napping
  • Too bright sleeping environment
  • Too noisy sleeping environment
  • Drinking alcohol before bed
  • Regular use of sleeping pills
  • Too long nap

If you already have a disturbed sleep rhythm, you should definitely avoid these points in order not to worsen the situation.

Conclusion: You have many resources at hand that can help you improve your sleep rhythm

As you can see, there are many ways and products that can help you restore your broken sleep pattern. The most important thing, however, is discipline.

If you go to bed at the same time every day and keep the same amount of sleep day in and day out, your sleep rhythm should improve after a short time.

Try to go to bed and get at least eight hours of sleep between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. A solid routine helps.

 

Also, try the products listed to improve your sleeping environment. If your bedroom is calm, dark and at a good temperature , this also helps enormously in establishing a healthy sleep rhythm in the medium term.

More tips for your sleep

You are also welcome to browse the other sections and find out which measures you can take to improve your sleep:

  1. The bedroom category provides helpful tips on how to best furnish your bedroom .
  2. In the next section you will find more information on common sleep problems and sleep disorders .
  3. We explain current studies (understandable for everyone) in the category of sleep research .
  4. General tips & strategies for a healthy night’s sleep can be found here: Sleep better .

Please recommend this page to others if you liked this article on sleep patterns.

I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.

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