Sleep is as critical to your health as eating, drinking and breathing. It allows your body to repair itself and your brain to consolidate memories and process information. Poor sleep is linked to physical problems such as a weakened immune system and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

Adults generally need 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Once you fall asleep, your brain and body go through several cycles of sleep. Each cycle has 4 stages. The first 3 stages are non-rapid eye movement  (NREM) sleep. And the 4th stage is rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

It is essential that you track your sleep to understand how much Deep and REM Sleep you are getting. And how various habits impact your sleep. This way you can effectively experiment to identify the biohacks and rituals that work the best for optimising your sleep.

An inexpensive and fairly accurate option is the Mi Band (MB) for $58. MB uses sensors to detect movement, monitor blood volume and oxygen changes, and track heart rate to classify time spent in light, deep, and REM sleep stages. And presents this information with a overall sleep score, bar graph, and measurements as seen in this image. Other fitness tracking features are also useful for optimising your health.

Maintain a regular bedtime to help you sleep better. The biology of your body works like an engine. If the movement of the parts is off a little bit, the engine will sill run but not as efficiently.

Your sleep-wake cycle is dictated by your circadian rhythm. This is an internal biological clock that regulates various body processes over a 24-hour period. As you sleep at a regular time in accordance with your rhythm, then there is less chance for metabolic disturbances that disrupt your sleep.

It's OK to stay up late once in a while to celebrate with friends and family. But mostly strive for a routine, identifying what works and doesn't work, and adjusting until you establish a consistent ritual that gets you in bed within a consistent 30-minute window on most nights.

You should avoid consuming caffeine (typically coffee and tea) 4 to 6 hours before bedtime. The half-life of caffeine is 4 to 6 hours. This means that half the caffeine you consume will still be present in your body up to 6 hours later. This can prevent you from falling asleep at bedtime.

If you are even more sensitive to caffeine, then consider stopping consumption by noon.

Try to finish dinner at least 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. This allows digestion to occur and the contents of your stomach to move into your small intestine. This helps prevent uncomfortable fullness and heartburn which interfere with sleep.

If you get hungry at bedtime, then a light snack of the following foods will help you sleep better:

Experiment to see which which combinations work the best for you!

Your core body temperature decreases in the evening to encourage sleep. Once you fall asleep, your body temperature continues to falling to promote restful sleep. Then it rises in the morning and throughout the day.

You can improve sleep quality by ensuring your core body temperature drops at bedtime and remains lower throughout the night.

As darkness approaches, your body produces the sleep hormone melatonin and primes your body for sleep. However the use of artificial lighting and electronics at night tricks your brain into thinking its daytime by exposing your eyes and skin to blue wavelength light. This inhibits melatonin production, disrupts your circadian rhythm, and leads to sleep problems.

You can take the following measures to reduce blue light exposure and improve your sleep.

It is essential to give space at bedtime to unwind from the day. Working until the last minute will leave your mind in full throttle thinking mode which makes it difficult to fall asleep. And more likely for you to awaken during the night.

Often times the last emotions and thoughts you have before falling asleep will determine the peacefulness and depth of your sleep. Fear, anger, and worry are not great precursors for deep restorative sleep.

Try the following for easing your mind prior to sleep.

Getting consistently deep and restorative sleep is difficult when faced with ongoing stress, late work days and meals, shift schedules, and other challenges. The Zesttee Sleep Pack puts the odds in your favour by providing 5 proven supplements in a single pack for easy consumption and effectiveness. Simply consume a pack 1 hour before bedtime to fall asleep faster, deeper, and longer in a natural manner without side effects.

Sleeping on your side helps reduce snoring. In particular, sleeping on your left side is best for your digestion and reduces heartburn. Put a pillow between your legs to better align your hips to avoid lower back pain.

Sleeping on your stomach is not recommended because it can cause both neck and back pain. Sleeping your back is not recommended because it puts unnecessary pressure on your back and interferes with breathing to cause snoring and sleep apnea.

You can experiment with mouth taping to ensure you are breathing through your nose and not mouth during sleep. Nose breathing increases intake of nitric oxide which is crucial for brain function, cardiovascular health, and overall blood oxygen levels for improved sleep. It also reduces snoring and balances pH levels in your mouth to prevent dental decay, dry mouth, and gum disease. Mouth breathing is associated with numerous health conditions like snoring, allergies, and oral decay.

Simply apply a small strip of surgical tape horizontally across your lips so your entire mouth area is covered. You can apply petroleum jelly to your lips beforehand to prevent irritation and tape residue. And fold one end of the tape to crease s small handle for easy disposal in the morning.

Please contact us via WhatsApp Chat or Call if you want clarifications on this sleep guidance. The Zesttee Consultation Service is free and our experienced health experts are happy to share additional sleep biohacks and also help you for other aspects of your health.