5 Ways to Sleep Well Every Night
Apr 09, 2021
It seems like everyone is chronically tired, no matter how much sleep they get in a night. Rather than trying to “binge sleep” on the weekends to play catch up from the week, try these simple tips to improve your quality of sleep and, ultimately, improve your energy levels.
- Set a schedule: Even the most spontaneous humans are habitual. By going to bed and waking up at consistent times, your body recognizes the pattern and releases the appropriate hormones to enable you to enter the sleep cycle without tossing and turning as you try to will yourself to sleep. Try waking up and going to sleep within an hour of your normal weekday routine on the weekends.
- Turn off screens an hour before bed: More and more research is supporting that blue light can stimulate your brain in such a way that it prevents your body from releasing its own melatonin. Melatonin is a natural hormone that your body produces in response to darkness. Try setting a recurring alarm for an hour before your goal bedtime, this will serve as a reminder to help prepare your body for a good night’s rest.
- Exercise in the morning: Exercise any time of the day is better than no exercise, but if improved sleep is specifically the goal, researchers recommend intentional physical activity in the morning. This helps energize a person through the day rather than dragging through the morning. Start small, such as a 15 minute circuit before hopping in the shower or taking a brisk walk around the block before heading into work. These are easy ways to increase your movement in the morning.
- Naps are great! (if they are 20 min or less): Taking long naps during the day can prevent you from being tired enough to fall asleep at bedtime. When you enter into the sleep cycle, waking up mid-cycle can make a person feel even more tired rather than rested. Avoid this by closing your eyes for no more than 20 minutes as a quick pick-me-up to get you through a long day.
- Bed is for 2 things only: Teach your body to associate bed with a good night’s sleep. This means no working or watching movies in bed! By using your bed for sleeping and intimacy only, this will help you relax each evening to better prepare you to sleep well through the night.
If some of these goals seem lofty, start small. Limit screen time by 15 minutes before bed as a way to practice less evening screen time. Morning exercise can be as simple as 5 minutes of stretching so a morning workout doesn’t seem so overwhelming. Pick one or two goals and get consistent with them rather than overwhelming yourself with everything at the same time. Before you know it, you’ll be counting sheep like a pro and waking rested and ready for the day.
Source: Mohr, C., & Mohr, K. (2020, November 5). 21 Days to Better Sleep [Webinar]. Today’s Dietitian. https://www.todaysdietitian.com/marketing/mohr/sleepweek.html
