When you lay your head down for the night and drift off into dreamland, your body begins to repair itself. As you snooze, your mind begins to store new information and consolidate your memories. Your body works on getting rid of toxic waste, increases production of growth hormones to help you build muscle, and reduces inflammation. If you’re not sleeping well at night, the aforementioned isn’t happening.
It’s clear that sleep is an essential piece of the health puzzle, so it’s important that you give yourself enough rest every night. Unfortunately, sometimes that’s easier said than done.
If you’re struggling to get to sleep or stay asleep at night, you’re not alone. Insomnia and sleep problems affect a significantly large portion of the population. According to SleepHealth.org, over 50 million Americans struggle with 80 different sleep disorders and another 20 to 30 million suffer intermittent sleep problems each year. Fortunately, there are ways to battle your restless nights. Here are five tips to help you get deeper sleep every night, so you can improve your overall well-being.
Create a routine and stick to it
We are creatures of habit, and we tend to thrive on patterned behavior. If you’re stuck in a toxic cycle of heading to bed at 3 am and struggling to wake, it’s likely you’re experiencing severe fatigue throughout the day. It’s time to create a better sleep routine.
Try some of these tips:
- Slowly adjust your bedtime: While you likely can’t switch your bedtime from 3 am to 10 pm overnight, there are ways you can ease yourself into an earlier bedtime. Start by moving your bedtime forward by 15 minutes each night until you reach your goal time.
- Prioritize tasks: If you stay awake stressing about your endless tasks, take some time each evening to create a priority list. That will help you create a plan of attack and may bring you some peace of mind.
- Say goodbye to distractions: Make your bedroom a no-technology zone. Leave your cellphone, television, and laptop in the living room or kitchen so you can avoid falling down the Wikipedia rabbit hole.
Getting your sleep habits in check is a lifestyle change worth making.
Revamp your bedroom
Where you sleep significantly affects how you sleep. Your bedroom should be an oasis that helps you drift off – if it currently doesn’t fit that description, it’s time for a design overhaul. Here are key tips that can help you turn your bedroom into the prime sleeping environment:
- Invest in storage: If your room is cluttered, your mind will feel cluttered. Make sure everything has its own place (and be sure to put it there at the end of the day!).
- Get better bedding: If your mattress sags or springs poke you in your sleep, invest in a new mattress. If your sheets have seen much better days, check out a set of high thread count options that caress the skin. Do you struggle with acid reflux that keeps you up? Check out a GERD pillow designed to prop you up to help avoid that painful acid regurgitation up and promote more restful snooze.
- Keep your room dark: If light shines into your window at night, block it with blackout shades designed to help you cocoon in your space and help your circadian rhythm.
Making even the smallest of changes in your bedroom can bode amazing results. Turn your sleeping space into a Zen sanctuary to encourage peaceful rest, then wake up with more energy!
Key Takeaways
If good, restful sleep sounds like a pipe dream right now, don’t be discouraged. The above tips can help you on your way to peaceful snoozing every night. Keep these strategies in mind and make sure your body and mind are getting the rest they deserve.