1.Make It A Mission to Sleep Well
If you have been struggling to fall or stay asleep, you then need to make sleep a priority. One way to do this is by committing to go to bed on time and avoid any form of distraction there may be. In addition to making the necessary lifestyle changes, let everyone around you know you value your sleep.
2.Have a Bedtime Routine
Make it a habit of going to bed and waking up at specific times of the day. Creating such a routine should help keep your circadian rhythm in check, hence making it easier to sleep well. Be sure to stick to the routine all the time including bank holidays and weekends. Strive to get good quality sleep for at least 7 hours every night. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, as well as the Sleep Research Society, recommends this as well.
3.Make Your Bedroom Sleep-Friendly
Your bedroom should make it easy for you to sleep and remain asleep for at least 7 hours without any distractions. It should, therefore, be dark enough, quiet, and free of anything that could distract you from sleep. Invest in blackout curtains for your bedroom and an eye mask for complete darkness in the room. Upgrade to an Amazon mattress and new bedding.
If living with noisy neighbors or neighborhood, you can then look for a white noise machine to help mask the sounds. This machine muffles the sound creating ambient relaxing sounds. You might also want to set your cell phone to ‘silent mode’ or turn it off completely.
4.Lower Your Bedroom Temperature
Temperatures in the bedroom should be about 5 degrees lower than average room temperature. Cooler temperatures are known to promote sleep, one of the reasons you should consider setting the thermostat at 65 degrees Fahrenheit for the bedroom.
5.Get Regular Exercise
Leading a sedentary or inactive lifestyle can be the reason you have had sleepless nights. Getting some form of body activity by exercising can help get you in shape, and also make it possible to sleep like a baby at night. Simple exercises such as walking, jogging, bike riding, or even taking the stairs are enough to get you started. You however should avoid strenuous activities a few hours to bedtime.
6.Have Light Meals Before Bedtime
Having a heavy meal a few hours before bedtime might cause discomforts or disrupt your sleep. That said, it would be advisable to have lighter snacks a few hours to going to bed. You might however want to stay away from foods rich in carbohydrates as they could cause bloating and heartburn.
7.Get Plenty of Morning Sunshine
Doctors and sleep experts advise us to get our daily dose of morning sunshine, and for a good reason. This is not only to help the body synthesize vitamin D but to reset the circadian rhythm. If you live in areas that receive limited sunshine, you might as well invest in a light-therapy box. Be sure to ditch those sunglasses in the morning as well.
