Seven Tips to Improve Your Sleep

Sleep. Most don’t get enough, and often the quality of our sleep isn’t the best… The excuses are endless- I don’t have time, I’ll catch up on the weekend, I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Thing is, if you keep ignoring the need for sleep, that last excuse may catch you sooner than you anticipate.

A lack of sleep is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression. A lack of sleep can also lead to poor concentration, irritability, and even an increased risk of injury.

The average adult needs about 7-8 hours of sleep per night. There are many tools to help you measure your sleep- and not just the amount of time you are sleeping, but the quality of it. Personally, I use an Oura Ring to track mine, and it’s lead me to changing some habits throughout my day. I you’re interested in tracking your sleep, chances are you have an app on your phone, a watch, or some other device that already has the capability.

Whether or not you track your sleep, there are ways to help improve it. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each night.

We all know how drained we can end up the day after staying up later than normal. Catching up on the weekend really isn’t benefical, and can through off your sleeping patterns for the rest of the week. It’s better to stick to a set schedule of getting to bed and waking in the morning, even on the weekends.

2. Make sure you’re getting exposure to sunlight during the day.

The first thing I do when I wake is to get some sun exposure- sitting outside for a few minutes, an early walk to get coffee, or even reading by a sunny window. Even if it’s a rainy, dark day- it’s really helpful to get into this habit. It will help your body wake up, but it will also help when you hit the sack later that evening.

3. Get some movement in during the day.

Exercise- the all encompassing wellness tip. Get your ass up, get some movement, and tell your body you appreciate all that it does for you. Not only will it help your sleep, but it will help your mood, focus, weight, etc. etc., etc.

4. Keep your room dark, cool & quiet.

A cool, dark room is the best place to get some shut eye. Try room darkening shades or a sleep mask if you need to. Make sure there’s not too much outside noise- a white noise machine or fan can help if there is. And set your thermostat lower in the evenings to create the perfect sleep environment.

5. Log off. Turn off screens at least an hour in advance.

If you’re like most people, you probably would benefit from a little less screen time. Set a time to log off in the evening, and stick to it. Whatever is happening on Instagram isn’t worth disrupting your sleep. If you need some help, see if your phone has a setting to limit access to certain apps. If you do need screen time in the evening, look into some blue light blocking glasses.

6. Avoid heavy meals, alcohol & caffeine.

This is one of the biggest things that I have noticed can disrupt a good night’s sleep. I’ve changed my eating habits a bit in the last few months, eating lighter and earlier. I always limit caffeine, not only the amount I drink, but also the hours of the day (nothing after noon). As for alcohol, we generally tend to drink later at night, but once I started seeing just how disruptive it is to my sleep quality, I’ve really backed off on my consumption. My Oura ring really showed me exactly how alcohol effects my sleep, even in very limited amounts, and it’s brutal. There are many great non-alcoholic alternatives these days, and I personally would rather performing at my best than having a few drinks at night.

7. Create a night time ritual to wind down.

Rituals are helpful to remind your body that it’s time to wind down. I’ve taken some time to figure out what works for me over the past year or two, and have developed my own schedule. Night time rituals can include taking a hot bath or shower, a cup of decaf tea, meditation, journaling, etc. Play around with different ideas, and see what works best for you.

I hope these ideas are useful. And I hope you find a way to get the good night’s sleep you need and deserve.

Let me know what helps you get a good night’s sleep in the comments!