Tips For Better Sleep
Sleep is one of the most important health hacks we have. Not only will a bad nights sleep effect your mood and energy levels, but it also can interfere with the way your body processes, how it regulates blood sugar and so much more. Sleep plays a critical role recovery process and ability to function every day.
We all know the recommended amount of sleep is 8 hours a day, but do you actually get that? When it comes time to let our head hit the pillow, it seems like that’s when we suddenly aren’t tired anymore.
So, what can you do to assure you get those full 8 hours? Here are a few tips to try to help you get a better night’s sleep.
Turn your brain off.
Seems obvious, but turning off the clutter in your mind can be extremely challenging, especially when you are stressed. Your adrenal glans pump out an excessive amount of cortisol when you are stressed, leaving none for the brain. When this happens our body starts to rely on adrenaline which causes the restlessness at night. There are many different ways to help calm the mind, so it’s important to find what works for you and stick with it. Here are some examples:
Meditation
Reading a book
Journaling (write 3 things you are grateful for each day)
Bath with epsom salts
Yoga/stretching
Adult coloring books
CBD
Drink herbal tea or a turmeric latte
Keep a notepad on your nightstand to write down any thoughts that come up or things you forgot to do, and revisit them in the morning
Cut the screen time.
This is probably the least exciting tip, but also the most important. Try to turn off all your devices an hour before bed, or at the minimum 30 minutes. Not only will this help to turn off your brain, but the blue light emitted from the screens messes with your circadian rhythm, and reduces the amount of melatonin your body creates. If you really cannot pull yourself away from the tv, try wearing a pair of blue light blocking glasses at night to help.
Treat your bed time like an important meeting.
Just because we have the freedom to stay up all night doesn’t mean we should! I have found that by adding bedtime to your calendar and treating it like a set part of your schedule will help you to actually get to bed. Being consistent with your bed time will also help your body automatically know when it’s time to rest.
Create an extensive nightly ritual.
Another way of alerting your body that it’s time for bed is to create a nightly ritual. This could really be anything from picking everything up off your bedroom floor, a bath followed by your skincare routine, reading a book, laying out your clothes for the next day, the list goes on. Again, this will help signal to your brain that it’s time to start shutting things down and will set you up for success the next day.
Make your bedroom your sanctuary.
Set the tone for a relaxing night sleep by creating the sanctuary of your dreams! Create a beautiful space for yourself by incorporating plants, delicious candles or incense, bedding that inspires you, or even painting the walls a relaxing color. Always keep your space tidy and clean each night which will help you relax. Make the room as cool and dark as possible. Try spraying lavender essential oils on your pillows which have been proven to have calming effects.