ways to improve your sleep quality

By Shanelle Reddy

Be consistent

The first step to improving your sleep quality is to be consistent with your sleep habits. This means going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends. It can be difficult to stick to a regular sleep schedule, but it’s important to make it a priority.

Conducive sleeping environment

Most people know that a dark and quiet room is ideal for sleeping, but there are other factors to consider when creating a conducive sleeping environment. The temperature of your bedroom should be cool – not too hot or too cold. You might also want to consider investing in some earplugs or an eye mask to block out any external noise or light. Creating a comfortable and relaxing space to sleep in will help you get a better night’s rest.

Remove electronic devices

If you want to improve your sleep quality, one of the first things you should do is remove all electronic devices from your bedroom. This includes your TV, laptop, tablet, smartphone, and any other device that emits blue light. Blue light can disrupt your circadian rhythm and make it harder to fall asleep. If you must keep your phone in your bedroom for an alarm clock, be sure to put it on silent mode and keep it away from your bed.

Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime

It’s no secret that what you eat and drink can affect your sleep. Caffeine, large meals, and alcohol are all known to disrupt sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake and make it difficult to fall asleep. If you’re trying to improve your sleep quality, it’s best to avoid caffeine in the evening. Large meals can also be disruptive to sleep. Eating a big meal right before bed can lead to indigestion and make it difficult to fall asleep. If you’re looking to improve your sleep quality, it’s best to avoid large meals in the evening. Alcohol may help you fall asleep initially, but it leads to poorer sleep overall. Alcohol increases the frequency of awakenings during the night and decreases the amount of time spent in deep sleep. If you’re trying to improve your sleep quality, it’s best to avoid alcohol before bedtime.

Get some exercise

It’s no secret that exercise is good for you. But did you know that it can also help you sleep better? That’s right, regular exercise can improve your sleep quality and help you fall asleep faster. So how does exercise help you sleep better? Well, first of all, it reduces stress and anxiety levels. Exercise also helps to regulate your body temperature, which can make it easier to fall asleep. And finally, exercise tires your body out so you’re more li kely to feel sleepy at night.

So if you’re looking for ways to improve your sleep quality, make sure to get some exercise every day. It doesn’t have to be anything too strenuous – a simple walk around the block will do the trick. Just make sure to do it at least 30 minutes before bedtime so you don’t end up feeling too energized before trying to sleep.

I am Yasthira Singh, a qualified dietitian. A dietitian is a healthcare professional who aids in the assessment, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases in order to optimise one’s health. One of the reasons I chose dietetics as a field of study is my passion for an improved quality of life for individuals, specifically my patients. Whether it is weight loss, getting your ‘summer body’ ready, or treating more serious conditionssuch as diabetes, chronic kidney disease or eating disorders, I want to be a part of your journey. I am a compassionate and hardworking individual, fueled by my passion to educate and empower the public about the importance of nutrition and other nutrition-related issues.

I received the Golden Key International Honours Society Award and obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree in Dietetics from the University of the Western Cape. Succeeding university, I completed my community service at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. This allowed me to gain invaluable experience in my field. I was presented with the opportunity to work with talented, world renowned health professionals. I gained experience working with critically ill, intensive care patients, those with eating disorders, oncology patients, and general medicine patients. I played my part in community upliftment by volunteering my time, and in turn had the privilege of working at the intensive care unit during the COVID-19 pandemic. During my studies I acquired knowledge relating to a multitude of diseases and the subsequent dietary adjustments required to provide optimal care to patients.

Since graduating, I have worked in private practice and serviced many hospitals, including Westville Hospital, Gateway Busamed, Capital Durban Haematology Hospital, as well as Alliance Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Hospital and Life Entabeni Hospital Rehabilitation Centre in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Here I worked with patients facing a variety of medical and surgical problems, to name a few, critical care, neurological patients, spinal cord fractures, paraplegic patients and chronic patients. I have spent a year volunteering at the King Edward Hospital’s Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinic, educating patients on diabetes and malnutrition. Working in a multidisciplinary team has presented me with valuable practical insights into overall management of patients with chronic diseases.

In 2023 I decided to take a leap of faith and start my own business called Nutri-cious. My passion lies with helping my patients become the best version of themselves. I have a particular interest in chronic lifestyle diseases and oncological diseases. My scope of practice includes, but is not limited to comorbidities (diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity), eating disorders, food allergies and intolerances, GIT diseases, critically ill patients, liver diseases, neurological conditions, oncological diseases, renal diseases, TB/ HIV/ AIDS, ulcers and weight management.

I am motivated by and focussed on results. I am delighted to assist my patients achieve their dream nutritional outcomes and assist them in improving their health and overall wellbeing. I am based at all the OncoCare centres in Umhlanga Rocks, Ridge Road, Hillcrest, Ballito and Seadoone Medical centre in Amanzimtoti.

I look forward to inspiring you to live your healthiest life.