Are you struggling to drop off at night, stay asleep, or feel like you’re well rested? Perhaps trying some of our tips for better sleep can help.
Set an alarm for the same time every morning
I realise this can sound counterproductive to feeling better rested, but by setting an alarm for the same time each morning, we can help to get our body into a wake routine, which in return can help it adjust to a sleep routine.
Perhaps making sure this alarm is a little earlier than you’re used to waking, will also have the knock-on effect of your body being ready to sleep earlier too.
Cut down screen time before bed
Not only will scrolling social media till all hours keep your brain extremely active, but the bright light also messes with your circadian rhythm. It’s essentially telling your body’s natural response system that it’s still daytime.
If you can cut back your screen usage so that you’re done a couple of hours prior to bedtime, you’re far more likely to have your mind in the right place to wind down and switch off for a restful night’s sleep.
Try Journaling
Learning to journal is a fantastic way to clear your mind, no matter what time of day it is. But this is especially useful for that big brain dump before you settle down to sleep.
I don’t think any of us can say we’ve never gotten into bed and had a million to-dos, memories of silly things we did in the past and questions about whether penguins have knees pop into our head.
That is where journaling comes in perfectly! By learning to release all the thoughts clogging up our brain space right before bed, no matter how irrelevant they may seem, we will help to release the weight and power of them before we try to relax and to fall to sleep.
It’s also more likely to help with having a restful sleep, as you don’t have all the subconscious distractions.
Try Meditation
Meditation is the perfect addition to your pre-bedtime routine.
Learning to use meditation to release the weight of emotions, feelings, concerns, and expectations is, for obvious reasons, is a great idea for improving your sleep.
Not only can this help us with overwhelming emotions, but it can also help us to have better quality sleep, due to emotional regulation before we drift off.
Cut back on Caffeine
Sorry! I know, I know. Caffeine is a source of life. But we really must consider just how much we are actually benefiting from that extra cup (or 5) each day, if it’s at the detriment of our sleep health.
Now I’m not suggesting you need to go cold turkey or cut it out completely. But perhaps keeping those high caffeine drinks (and food, cough* chocolate*cough) to before lunchtime will mean that by the time you’re climbing into bed at the end of your day, the caffeine has been spent on your daily energy expenditure and is not going to keep you up at night buzzing with thoughts and foot twitches.
So there you have it. 5 tips that can really help you to get a better night’s sleep! They don’t always feel great at first, but I promise you that you will see a change in your sleep habits over time if you try some of these great tips!
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