Quality sleep every night is just as important, if not more so, than staying active and having the proper diet. Poor sleep can negatively impact your day-to-day life, affecting how well you function the day following bad sleep. Good sleep, on the other hand, can help you eat less, stay on track with your diet, and have enough energy to exercise to the best of your ability.
Sleep is crucial for optimizing both your physical and mental health. Here’s how you can sleep better.
#1 Changing Your Bedding
Your bedding, including sheets, pillowcases, and comforters, can have a significant impact on your sleep quality because it helps regulate your temperature. Bedding that is too warm can keep you up at night, while bedding that isn’t warm enough can make it difficult to fall asleep. Luckily, if you enjoy heavy blankets for their weight but not necessarily for how much heat they keep, you can choose a weighted blanket or Quiet Mind weighted pillow that will keep you comfortable all night but not too warm.
#2 Build a Routine
Your body appreciates routine, which is why you feel more energized when you do the same tasks every single day. Sticking to a routine, especially when it comes to when you wake up and when you go to bed, can help you get to sleep longer. When bedtime comes, your body will naturally begin to relax, knowing that it’s time to begin winding down. Waking up and going to bed at the same time every day will help you sleep better and longer.
Part of our routine includes sleeping with an eye mask. We like wearing 40 Blinks eye masks by Bucky. It doesn’t cause pressure against your eyes and completely blocks out light.
#3 Eliminate Blue Light Before Bed
Exposure to blue light at night tricks your brain into thinking that it’s still time to be awake. This process reduces sleep hormones like melatonin, so you’ll have a harder time getting into a deeper sleep.
Blue light comes from electronics like computers, cell phones, and televisions. While you can reduce blue light exposure at night, it might be best for your sleep to completely eliminate it before bed. Instead of scrolling through Facebook before closing your eyes, try meditation to relax both your body and mind so that you’re ready to fall asleep.
Another tip is to leave your phone charging overnight in a completely different room. This prevents you from getting distracted by your phone in the middle of the night.
#4 Exercise Regularly
Exercise can improve your sleep and your health. Not only does it provide you with tons of health benefits, but it can help rid your body of energy that can keep it up at night. Some people prefer to exercise in the morning while others enjoy exercising after a long day of work.
Unfortunately, exercising late at night might not be an option for some. Exercise stimulates the body and the mind, which may increase alertness, making sleeping difficult at night. Instead, you might want to do yoga before bed to help you relax while still getting mild exercise.
#5 Skip the Afternoon Latte
Caffeine is a great way to start your morning, and coffee may offer you health benefits. However, consuming coffee and other caffeinated beverages in the afternoon can negatively impact your sleep cycle. While you may need a pick me up, choose beverages that contain less caffeine so that you don’t have the jitters all night.
Energy drinks are another beverage you should avoid, especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine. Experiment with what works for you. You may find that a cup of green tea in the afternoon is the perfect amount of caffeine for a pick-me-up without keeping you up all night long.
#6 Eliminate Distractions
Your phone, television, and anything else you enjoy using or playing with during the day can be a huge distraction at night. In order to get to bed, you must relax both your body and mind. Playing your favorite video game before bed can make you stay up later and experience worse sleep due to blue light exposure.
Once you have a nighttime routine in place, try to eliminate as many distractions as possible that could keep you up later than usual. This can mean putting your phone on airplane mode, removing the television from the bedroom permanently, or exercising more self-control when it comes to activities before bedtime.
Thank you for visiting today! If you found this encouraging or informative, please connect with us on Instagram or TikTok. Sign up for our monthly newsletter for updates and more. We promise we won't spam you! Feel free to unsubscribe anytime. If you're a brand and want to work with us, please visit this page to get in touch.