There’s truly nothing better than a good night’s sleep. You feel rested, recharged, and ready to take on whatever comes your way. But unfortunately, that’s not always how things pan out by the time you’re ready to hit the hay. Perhaps your room is too cold, too hot, or your blanket isn’t laying just right—or maybe it’s just the chaos of the day that’s keeping you up into the wee hours of the night. Whatever it is that’s got you tossing and turning, you’re probably anxious to find a resolution so that you can bring some zen back into your life.
Incorporate some or all of these tips and you’ll be fast asleep to dreamland in no time!
Set yourself up for sleepy success
No matter how many sleep rituals you try in an effort to sleep better, you’ll likely have a hard time getting a good night’s rest if you don’t have comfortable bedding to rest your head on. While good bedding largely depends on preference, there are a few key components to creating a bed that supports your back and your sleep! Let’s review some of the must-haves for the best beauty rest:
- A mattress foundation creates a sturdy base for your mattress to rest on.
- A good mattress—whether firm or soft—helps support your back and neck while promoting better sleep.
- A cooling pillow helps you regulate your temperature throughout the night.
- High thread count bedding is softer and more comfortable to lay on.
Once you have these staples in line, you’ll be ready to implement our other tips and improve your sleep routine!
Practice unwinding after a long day
For many of us, day to day life can get pretty chaotic. Whether you have a high-stress job, young kids running around, or a laundry list of chores to get through, if you’re like me, you probably have plenty of anxious thoughts running through your head just before bedtime. To help quiet the mind and prepare yourself for a solid night of sleep, you should make it a point to enjoy some relaxing activities an hour or so before you actually turn off the lights and get ready for sleep.
A self-guided yoga app, a mindfulness podcast, writing in a journal, lighting a candle, or reading a few chapters of your book are all great ways to relax the mind after a busy day.
Follow your sleep patterns and adjust your habits
If you’re constantly feeling groggy but aren’t sure why, you might need to take a look at your sleeping habits. Perhaps you might not notice that you’re having trouble sleeping because you’re able to fall asleep and stay asleep, but in reality, you’re not getting as much quality sleep as your body needs. Using a sleep sensor band allows you to gain insight on how well you’re sleeping based on a variety of metrics including time and REM cycles.
Disconnect from your devices
There have been many recent studies that examine the connection between blue light from our screens and their impact on quality sleep. According to Harvard Health, blue light can have an effect on your sleep and can even translate to some diseases. Though companies have began to roll out dimming technologies to try and combat this phenomenon, it’s still a good idea to try and limit your exposure to blue light as you’re getting ready for bed. This helps limit distractions and helps regulate your circadian rhythm. Set a consistent deadline for your phone usage each night to deter late-night social media scrolling or texting. Additionally, set your phone away from your bed so that you’re not tempted to check it periodically throughout the night.
If you use your phone as an alarm, you might consider getting a separate alarm clock so that you don’t even need to rely on your phone to wake you up in the morning!
Get regular exercise
Exercise is good for a number of reasons—better physical health, improved mental health, and better sleep! That’s right, getting regular exercise can help reduce stress and encourage your body to get better and longer periods of rest. Make an effort to exercise at least 20-30 minutes per day and your sleep schedule will thank you.
Wrapping up
Sleep is so important to maintaining physical and mental health, so it’s best to make it a priority. Use these tips and enjoy sweet dreams ASAP!