How to Get Better Sleep This Year

Sleep is incredibly important for optimal health, but many people don’t get enough sleep, or can’t seem to stay asleep during the night long enough to get the recommended seven to nine hours of shuteye. Sleep troubles happen for a variety of reasons, from medical conditions to poor sleep habits. Fortunately, sleep deprivation can often be addressed with a few tweaks to your routine. To promote better sleep quality, it’s important to give your slumber strategies a second look. 

Develop a Solid Sleep Schedule

Life can be unpredictable, and even hectic at times, but erratic sleep habits are certainly not doing your body any favors. Your body has built in mechanisms that regulate its ability to know when it’s time to relax at night, as well as when it’s time to get up in the morning. When your sleep schedule is inconsistent, it throws off your natural internal rhythm. 

Determine when you’d like to be awake in the morning, and decide on a bedtime for yourself that you can stick to. The more consistent you are with the time your head hits the pillow every night, the easier it will be for your body to maintain a regular cycle. Those with regular bedtimes find that as it gets closer to the hour of rest, your body naturally begins to slow down and prepare for sleep. If you need help while you adjust to a consistent routine, you can use sleep aids such as natural CBD gummies or melatonin supplements. 

Practice a Reliable Routine

There’s a reason why children need a consistent bedtime routine in order to ready their bodies for a good snooze. In addition to a regular bedtime, your body benefits from cues, both internal and external, that signal that it’s time to wind down and relax. Choose a few soothing activities before bed to get your mind and body in the right space for sleep, such as:

• reading a book, 
• listening to calm music, 
• light stretching, 
• a warm bath, 
• aromatherapy 
• and white noise. 

Whatever you do, don’t rely on screen-time to calm yourself just before bed, as the light that comes from electronics can trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime. Try to give yourself at least 30 minutes of screen-free time before it’s time to hit the pillow to avoid any feelings of alertness. 

Watch Your Daytime Habits

Despite your best efforts at night to calm your mind and body, you could be doing yourself a few sleep-hindering disservices during the day. Consuming caffeine close to bedtime, avoiding exercise and eating unhealthy foods have all been linked with sleep troubles. To facilitate better sleep at night, make sure you avoid stimulants and processed foods that can cause nighttime wakeups and insomnia. 

Your sleep habits also benefit from regular exercise. The expenditure of stagnant energy through regular movement helps you to feel more tired at night, and the endorphins released when you get your heart rate up do a lot to boost your mood and relieve any stress and anxiety that can keep you awake long after the sun goes down. 

Remodel Your Room

A room that encourages peace and relaxation is important for both falling and staying asleep. The quality of your bedding, the position of your lamps, the comfort of your mattress and any environmental distractions all impede your ability to relax. Take measures to create a space that feels soothing and serene. 

Adjust the thermostat to ensure your room is at a comfortable temperature and, if you can, remove any televisions, computers or tablets that could be a distraction. If you need a little help keeping your mind off the stress of the day, replace these gadgets with a speaker that can play soft music or white noise. 

Try to Relax

It goes without saying, but the key to falling asleep easily is to be as relaxed as possible when you get under the covers. It can be hard to loosen up after a hard day at work, so find a practice that helps to reduce nighttime stress, such as progressive muscle relaxation, mindful breathing or gentle yoga. Relaxing activities ease your mind and prepare your body to wind down, which can make it easier to drift off and stay asleep throughout the entire night.