I don't know about you, but I need sleep. And not just sleep. I need a good nights sleep. Otherwise I'm useless the next day. And depending on who you ask, I may or may not be grouchy. Probably not, but I may.
There are lots of ways to sleep better at night, naturally. Now - if you ask my husband his best tip for getting a good nights sleep, he will say "sex"....but there ARE a few other ways you can try! And you will be surprised at how easy the changes can be to make and how BIG of a difference they can make!
1. Get on a sleep schedule and stick to it. Even on the weekends!
You might think that sleeping in on the weekends sounds awesome, but it can actually make Monday morning harder. Just like we put our kids on sleep schedules it is important for adults too! Staying on a schedule can help avoid tossing and turning.
2. Change your diet
I know, I know. We all hate this one. But here, the changes are simple.
Keep dinners light.
No caffeine after late afternoon. THIS one is the hardest for me! Did you know that cafienne can affect your sleep up to 10 hours after you drink it?
No beverages 30 minutes before bed. This will help you from having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the restroom.
3. Have a bedtime routine.
Your kids have a routine. Why don't you? An hour before bedtime, start winding down.
While winding down there are a few things to avoid however:
- Electronics - Yes, this includes TV. No electronics in the hour before you hit the hay.
- Alcohol - Some people say that you should have a drink to unwind, but alcohol is not what you should be drinking this close to bedtime.
4. Keep your bedroom cool.
Did you know that the optimal temperature for the bedroom is 65? Having the right temperature will allow you to easily fall asleep and stay asleep.
5. Eliminate Light
Light can tell your brain to wake up! Even if if is just a small amount. Bring alarm clocks, hallway lights, street lights right outside your window, tablets and cell phones all can lead to you not going into a full deep sleep.
Avoid bringing in your cell phone to the bedroom. My phone will get a blinking light when I get even an email. Having that flashing light has woken me up before. But I also use it as my alarm. But now I just put it into the drawer of my nightstand. I can hear the alarm, but no more flashing lights.
But the phone/tablet is not just distracting when you are asleep. I can't tell you how many times I'm this.close.to falling asleep and I hear my phone go off. Whether it's a text message, email or notification - I hear it and I just have to look. Once I look, sometimes I get distracted. Half an hour later I'm still on my phone.
Researchers have found - the darker the room, the deeper you sleep.
6. Get a little selfish.
Your bed is for you. The more people (and pets!) you have in it means the more tossing, turning, snoring, kicking, getting up and talking. It's ok to be selfish and send the kids to their own room and the fur babies to their own bed.
There you go! Six simple tips that you can apply to your life to help sleep better.
How do you relax before you go to sleep?
I agree with you about the phones - I used to keep mine face-up and now it's face-down, only so I can use it for an alarm and/or grab it in the AM. But I DON'T open it up after I get into bed, anymore.