5 Tips for Better Sleep
Photo by Dominika Roseclay - from Pexels
I have never met someone who doesn’t enjoy a night of good quality sleep. However, it is common for people to forego sleep when life gets busy - work, housework, studying, exercise, socializing, and scrolling social media can all be reasons people lose sleep. The problem is, even when it’s for something positive like getting up early to go to the gym, sub-optimal sleep negatively impacts your health in a variety of ways.
Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep per night, many feel best with a bit more - I am an 8-9 hour person myself. When you get less sleep than you need, it can lead to - increased appetite and cravings for foods high in fat, salt, and sugar, increased storage of visceral fat (the kind that increases heart disease and diabetes risk), trouble concentrating and slower reaction times (both can increase risk of potentially devastating accidents), and reduced immune function.
You might not be getting enough sleep if: you try to catch up on sleep on weekends, you’re yawning throughout the day, you feel groggy in the morning until you consume caffeine, you’re struggling to concentrate or have mood changes like increased irritability or anxiety, or you doze off when you’re doing something inactive like reading or watching TV. If you’re not getting enough sleep try to implement the tips below to improve your sleep schedule.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Your body thrives on consistency when it comes to sleep. If you try to “catch up” on sleep it really doesn’t benefit you - getting enough sleep daily is what will have the most positive impact.
Have a bedtime routine. This may look like dimming lights 30-60 minutes before bed, wrapping up what you need to on your phone (it’s ideal to avoid using your phone for at least 30 minutes before sleeping), practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation, and anything else you like to do to wind down - reading, stretching, writing in a journal, or taking a warm bath/shower.
Keep it cool. You get better quality sleep when your bedroom is between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Crack a window on a cool night, or turn up the A/C at night to keep your bedroom close to this ideal range.
Limit alcohol and caffeine. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 12 hours depending on how quickly your body metabolizes it. Experiment with various times to stop drinking caffeine to see what works best for your body - a good general rule is to stop consuming it by noon. Alcohol can often make it easier to fall asleep, but your sleep quality tends to be poor, meaning you will still experience the negative health impacts of getting insufficient sleep. Avoiding alcohol entirely is ideal - if you do drink keep portions small and do your best to stop 4 hours before bed time to reduce the negative impact on sleep quality.
Make sleep a priority. It can be tempting to reduce sleep to do things perceived as high value or high priority (working late, exercising, cleaning, etc.). This temptation is enhanced when these actions are praised - answering emails late at night or early in the morning is glorified as being a dedicated employee. Remind yourself often why sleep is important to you and how it positively impacts your physical and mental health. This can help you to stay consistent with your sleep routine.
If you have heard all of these things before, but you haven’t been able to start making changes on your own click here to book a free consult. We can work together to meet your health goals.