Tips for a Better Sleep
Do you find yourself having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? I have no trouble falling asleep but tend to wake around 3 AM when I’m anxious, stressed, or have had a little too much wine. Here are 20 tips to help you fall asleep, stay asleep, or get a better-quality sleep:
Avoid alcohol. It may aid sleep but makes your sleep interrupted and of poor quality
Avoid caffeine after Noon. It may make sleep restless and worse
Limit liquid intake before bed, which will help you avoid waking up for bathroom breaks
Take a hot salt or aromatherapy bath. Raising your body temperature before bed helps to induce sleep. A hot bath relaxes muscles and reduces physical and psychic tension. Add 1/2 - 1 cup Epsom salt and 1/2 - 1 cup baking soda to your bath for an alkaline-balancing, sleep-inducing effect
Turn off electronics at least 30 minutes before bed. Digital devices stimulate our brain. This includes television, computers, and smartphones. The screens release a blue light that prevents our brain from preparing for sleep. Optimally, try to keep all technology in a different room
Exercise regularly. Physical movement (especially outdoors) can promote restful sleep at night
Eat no later than two hours before bed. Eating a heavy meal before bed will lead to a bad night’s sleep and impede the body’s overnight detoxification process. A regular to smallish-sized meal, balanced in nutrients, about 2-3 hours before bed, can help facilitate sleep
Avoid medications that interfere with sleep. These include sedatives (used to treat insomnia but ultimately lead to dependence and disruption of normal sleep rhythms), antihistamines, stimulants, cold medications, steroids, and headache medication containing caffeine
Get regular exposure to daylight for at least 20 minutes daily. The light from the sun enters your eyes and triggers your brain to release specific chemicals and hormones like melatonin, vital to healthy sleep, mood, and aging. If you work a shift, try to get lots of bright light and movement when you should normally be awake
Create an aesthetic environment in your bedroom that encourages sleep. Get rid of stacks of mail, boxes, and clothes strewn about
Keep your room dark or consider using eyeshades
Keep your room cool. Anywhere from 60-68 F (15-20 C) appears to work best at night
Use white noise. For instance, turn on a fan, humidifier, or HEPA filter
Practice regular sleep rhythms. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Our bodies like regularity. With a regular schedule, your body will know when to release calming hormones before bed and stimulating hormones to wake up
Go to bed before midnight to align with natural light cycles
Set an alarm to go to bed. Work backwards and add buffer time. If you need to wake up at 6 AM and want to be in bed for 7 hours, start moving towards bed around 10:30 PM with lights out by 11 PM
Warm your tummy with a hot water bottle, which raises your core temperature and helps trigger the proper chemistry for sleep
Do a brain dump. Take a few minutes to write out a list of whatever is bugging you. Whatever is in your brain, get it out and on to paper. Doing so will free up your mind and energy to move into a deep and restful sleep
Relax. Get a massage, stretch, read, have good sex, or listen to relaxing music before bed to help you sleep. Consider yoga poses, meditation, or deep-breathing exercises
Take relaxing minerals such as magnesium and calcium