A restful night’s sleep makes the world go around. Well, maybe not literally. But it certainly helps recharge you for the coming day. When you get a full and deep sleep you wake up feeling refreshed and ready for anything. When you don’t you wake up grumbling and feeling like garbage. Here’s a guide on how to get a better sleep.
Keep The Coffee and Junk to a Minimum – Especially Before Bed
If you drink coffee then try to do so early in the morning and limit yourself to a maximum of two cups. In addition, cut down your intake of black tea, chocolate, and high-sugar products like soft drinks. All of these get you amped up and can make it harder to sleep when the sun sets. Over consumption of alcohol should also be avoided as it restricts how much of the all-important deep REM sleep you can get. Also don’t eat too soon before bed: an over-burdened digestive system can keep you up all night.¹
Keep It Cool
You will get a much better sleep at night if you keep your bedroom cool and chill. In addition, keep lighting low and have a good pair of curtains or blinds especially if you go to sleep before it is fully dark outside. In terms of temperature it’s simple: stay cool. Being sweaty and frazzled is a guaranteed sleep stopper, and sleep experts advise keeping your bedroom between 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The lower temperatures cue you into a more sleepy state.²
… And Quiet
In addition to keeping your sleep zone cool and low-lit, it’s important that you have it as quiet as possible. Fans can help regulate the noise and keeping the temperature down and you can also use a white noise machine to keep the sounds away.³ All in all, silence or very low noise is super important for getting a deep and restful night’s sleep, as even loud noises on the street and interruptions can cause you to partly wake up and disrupt your REM cycles, leaving you exhausted in the morning.⁴
A Busy, Healthy Day Leads To A Relaxing, Deep Sleep
Having a day with lots of exercise, good meals and organized, full schedules can contribute majorly to having a restful, healthy sleep at night. In particular, make sure to get some physical exercise during the day even if you mostly work on the computer and try your best to take medications when advised so they don’t keep you up. Even better is to start keeping a sleep journal where you write down about how you slept and how easy or hard it was to get to sleep. You don’t have to write that much, but just put down a few notes. Maybe you ate a lot of junk food or had a stressful day and then couldn’t sleep, or maybe your schedule at work is starting to interrupt your sleep. As you notice negative patterns you can begin to do what you can to modify and improve them.⁵
Don’t Sleep With Your Devices
This means don’t take your laptop and phone to bed with you. Try to leave a minimum of at least one hour after working on your computer or checking your phone and trying to sleep. Bringing your devices into bed keeps your mind awake and jittery and makes it very hard for your body and mind to shift into sleep mode. An exception can be made for a low-light, non-glare Kindle reader or similar device, since it is basically the same as reading a book before bed and – given the right reading material – can actually help you fall asleep.²
Having The Right Equipment
If we think of sleeping as a – very inactive – sport, then it’s our favorite of all. After all, we do it almost half our lives. For that reason it’s important to have top-shelf equipment. This means getting a comfortable pillow that is the firmness you like and a nice, relaxing mattress that supports you as well as excellent sheets and blankets. You’ll be glad you did.⁴
[1] https://psychcentral.com/lib/9-tips-for-a-good-nights-sleep/
[2] https://camillestyles.com/wellness/12-tips-for-getting-a-good-nights-sleep/
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYjedBU1Qgg
[4] https://www.headspace.com/sleep/how-to-sleep-better
[5] http://sleepeducation.org/essentials-in-sleep/healthy-sleep-habits