Getting enough sleep on the regular is one of the keys to good physical and mental health, but that’s easier said than done in today’s tech-obsessed world. Fortunately, there are things you can do to ensure that you get enough high-quality sleep every night, and avoid insomnia and other problems like sleep apnea that threaten your wakeful hours. Here are The Sleep Doctor’s top 10 tips for a better night’s sleep!
1) Find your own bedtime routine
There’s an old saying, A tired body is a resting body. Following that logic, if you want to get a good night’s sleep, it might be helpful to establish some habits that can help your body wind down in preparation for bedtime. If you have trouble falling asleep at night (and staying asleep), here are some ways to combat insomnia. Try one or more of these tips before turning in: Read a book, do yoga or meditate, journal and/or do breathing exercises. Also, try not to look at screens too close to bedtime—smart phones and laptops emit blue light that makes it hard for your brain to relax and fall asleep; limit use as much as possible in the hours leading up to bedtime. And don't forget about exercise: In addition to helping you lose weight and keep off those pounds, regular exercise can improve sleep quality. Exercise also releases endorphins, which will help you feel relaxed and ready for bed. Just make sure not to exercise too close to bedtime because working out revs up your metabolism, making it harder for you to fall asleep once you're done sweating!
2) Use your bedroom for sleep, not reading
The best way to ensure a good night’s sleep is to train your brain and body that your bed is for sleeping only. If you use your bed as an entertainment centre reading, watching television or surfing on your phone it will be hard to fall asleep once you hit those sheets. Avoid caffeine and other stimulants: Caffeine stimulates you by causing changes in blood flow to alert your brain and body, which makes it difficult to settle down into restful sleep. In addition, caffeine can stay in your system as long as eight hours after you consume it, so even if it’s only noon when you have that first cup of coffee, stopping by 5 p.m. will be easy said than done.
3) Have an electronic curfew
Blue light from electronic screens disrupts our natural sleep cycle. For best results, shut down your devices at least one hour before bedtime. Get some exercise: After a few days of regular physical activity, your body will produce more feel-good hormones and less stress hormones, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. Know when it’s time to call it a night: If you find yourself still awake two hours after laying down, get up and do something relaxing until you feel tired again. If that doesn’t work, don’t fight it—go back to bed. Your body knows what it needs better than your alarm clock does! Invest in white noise: White noise isn’t just great for babies!
4) Be sure your mattress supports you (and your partner!)
The average person spends one-third of his or her life on their mattress—if it’s old and uncomfortable, it can cause aches and pains that disrupt sleep. A good night’s sleep starts with a quality mattress. Consider investing in one that fits your budget, is comfortable and supports your body. If you share your bed with someone else, make sure you both have a mattress that suits each of your bodies. (If you don’t know where to start, ask around for recommendations from friends.) Also pay attention to how much time you spend on your phone or tablet before bed; blue light emitted by these devices can interfere with melatonin production (the hormone responsible for regulating our internal clock). If possible, turn off all electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime to ensure better rest.
5) Create a cozy environment
To get quality sleep, you need to create a comfortable and cozy environment. The best way to do that is with your room temperature. Your brain needs to be able to recognize when it’s getting colder outside in order to tell your body that it should start producing melatonin so you can fall asleep at night; when it gets too warm, however, our bodies slow down production of melatonin and stay awake longer. In other words: It’s important not only what you wear but also what your room is like. Ideally, your sleeping temperature is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius), with 67 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius) being optimal for most people.
6) Stick to a routine that works for you
The key to successful sleep is consistency, says Stevens. Our bodies like routines, he says. If you go to bed at 11:00pm every night and wake up at 6:30am every morning, your body will be accustomed to those times. The more we practice going to bed and waking up at certain hours, Stevens explains, the better our bodies can adjust themselves on their own. But if you get in the habit of changing your schedule or changing how long you sleep from day to day—even just by 15 minutes—it can throw off your circadian rhythm and cause trouble sleeping. A routine also helps when it comes to controlling factors that keep us awake at night: Too much caffeine too close to bedtime? Not enough sunlight during daylight hours?
7) Get sunshine during the day, then keep light out at night
Getting some morning sun will help your body regulate its circadian rhythm and prepare you for a good night’s sleep. Then, don’t look at any screens—like your phone or tablet—two hours before bedtime. The blue light from these screens can suppress melatonin, which helps you wind down and fall asleep.
8) Avoid going too long without eating
Eat three meals and two snacks each day, and always eat breakfast. And, no matter what you do, don’t skip meals. Eating regularly helps keep your blood sugar levels even throughout the day, which means it’s easier to fall asleep at night. Skipping meals also makes you more susceptible to overeating during times when hunger isn’t supposed to set in (like late at night). To help avoid those midnight munchies, make sure you’re eating every few hours so that your body never gets too hungry or too full.
9) Keep the lights low when it's time to wind down
To fall asleep, you need to calm down your nervous system. The more awake and alert you are, though, the harder it is to do that. Dimming or turning off all but one light in your bedroom can help slow your system down at bedtime. If sleeping with lights on doesn't work for you, try wearing an eye mask to block out extra light and make it easier to get sleepy.
10) Don't forget about exercise!
Exercise in any form helps you sleep better. In fact, exercise is one of our number one sleep tips—it can actually treat some insomnia! Not only does exercise release feel-good endorphins, but it also releases melatonin (the hormone responsible for regulating your internal clock). This tells your body it’s time to wind down. And if you want to get even more out of your workout, make sure you don’t eat about two hours before you hit the gym—eating too close to bedtime can cause indigestion and heartburn that leads to trouble sleeping. If possible, opt for an evening run or walk instead of an afternoon power nap. So when do I go to bed?: It might seem like common sense: Get enough sleep each night and you’ll have more energy during the day. But getting good sleep is much easier said than done—particularly with all those bright screens constantly vying for our attention at home, work, school and on-the-go. Our lives are busier than ever before (not to mention full of distractions), which means we need to prioritize shut eye as much as we do meetings or workouts if we hope to stay sharp over time.
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