We’ve all lost sleep over something at some point this year. There are a lot of factors your bad nights of sleep can be related to whether it’s stress from work, the global pandemic, a mental illness, family responsibilities, or even if you’ve had too much coffee.
And when it comes to sleep, it’s literally as important as exercising and eating healthy. When you wake up in the morning well-rested, you feel more ready for the day and productive than when you don’t sleep well. That’s why in this post, we’re excited to share 14 tips on how to sleep better to improve your sleep hygiene.
You might be asking yourself, what does sleep hygiene mean? This refers to healthy sleep habits that will help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Check them out below!
Try Out A Sleep Schedule.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, most of us need at least seven hours of healthy sleep a night. And what helps you the most is by trying to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
If you work during the week and have the weekend off and like to stay up later, try to limit this to only one hour later than you normally go to sleep during the week. This helps your body regulate your sleep wake cycle. You’ll thank us later.
It’s Not All About The Lights.
What becomes a habit is watching your favorite show or going on your phone before bedtime so you can catch up on texts and social media. While this is always tempting, we recommend cutting down on your screen time. This is because exposure to light may cause you to have trouble sleeping as it affects your circadian rhythm (sleep clock).
Consider putting your phone away and turn off the lights at least twenty minutes before you’d like to go to sleep. You can listen to calming music, read with a small reading light, or listen to meditation to unwind and get ready to close your eyes.
Let Some Light In.
Pictured: Key West Platform Bed
While artificial bright lights before bed is not good, getting natural light during the day will help with your circadian rhythm! It’s as simple as opening up your blinds for some sunlight or going outside for a few minutes.
Check Out Essential Oils.
Essential oils have many benefits, and one of their uses is to help you relax before bedtime. Lavender is a soothing natural scent that is one of the most popular ones for sleep, so you can add a few drops to your pillow, your wrists, or in a diffuser to start relaxing.
Add Exercise To Your Everyday Routine.
Being active regularly can help you sleep better. Even if it’s just a daily walk, you’ll feel better when you get outside and disconnect. But remember, you shouldn’t work out too close to bedtime as you might be too hyper. Consider working out in the morning or soon after you finish your work day.
Long Naps Are For Cats.
Long naps during the day can make it difficult for you to fall asleep at night. If you really need some shut eye, you can take a power nap for thirty minutes, but make sure it’s not too late in the day.
Reduce Noise.
This might seem simple but external noise can affect your sleep quality. If the external noise is out of your control, such as from the city’s traffic, your partner’s snoring, or your neighbors in your building, use ear plugs, a fan, or consider getting a white noise machine to avoid disrupting your sleep.
Let Your Phone Keep The Time.
When you’re tossing and turning in the middle of the night, and you decide to check the time, it will probably be harder for you to fall back asleep.
That’s because your mind will start to race as you start to think about how much time you have left to sleep, what tasks you need to do when you wake up, and other disruptive thoughts. Instead, spend a few minutes reading a book or meditating.
Keep It Cool n’ Cozy.
If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night sweating, you know how much it can interrupt your rest. Lowering your body temperature will make it easier for you to fall asleep, so consider setting your thermostat to somewhere around 60 to 67 degrees.
Eat Dinner Early.
Pictured: Lilian 5-Piece Dining Set
It can be harder to fall asleep when you’ve eaten dinner late. And if it was a big meal, it might take longer for your body to digest it.
Try to avoid eating dinner too close to bedtime, and if you’re hungry before bed, just have a small light snack.
Skip The Nightcap.
It might seem like that glass of wine is helping you fall asleep but it actually disrupts your sleep cycle, so you may wake up in the middle of the night feeling restless. This is because alcohol can affect your melatonin, which is a natural hormone in your body that helps you know when to sleep and wake up. Try meditating or reading your favorite series.
What You Sleep On Matters.
You might not be sleeping well because your mattress is old and does not fit your comfort level, and the same can be said for your pillow. We can help you in person with a comfort test at an El Dorado Furniture showroom near you to ensure your mattress is the right fit.
If You Have Lower Back Pain, Put A Pillow Between Your Legs.
Pictured: Adapt HB MS Queen Mattress
Even if your lower back pain is mild, it can disturb your sleep. By putting a pillow between your legs, it helps align your hips to take pressure off your lower back!
Protect Your Mattress.
Pictured: Ver-Tex 6.1 Mattress Protector
If you experience allergies such as a stuffy nose, itchiness, and sneezing while you’re in bed, your mattress could be the cause due to dust, mold, pet fur, and other allergens. We suggest a mattress protector because it helps protect against these allergens.
Now that we have given you tips on how you can get the right amounts of sleep and stay asleep, definitely keep these in mind so you can sleep better! Please let us know what works for you by leaving a comment below. And if you’re interested in our selection of mattresses, adjustable bases, and bedding accessories, you can shop online or visit an El Dorado Furniture store near you in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Lee, Collier, and Pinellas counties!
These are some great tips! I totally agree with sleeping on something comfortable matters. Also agree that it’s important to not eat dinner too late. Eating dinner too late makes it more likely that you will get settled down later.