18 Ways To Get Better Sleep!
18 Ways to Get Better Sleep:
Hey Mommas!
Do you find yourself never being able to get enough sleep? Are you exhausted, but you just can’t seem to prioritize it?
Well, you took the right first step, trying to find help. Because if there’s one key to staying healthy, it’s making sure we get enough sleep!
As you go through this list, think about the most simple ways you can adjust your schedule to get just a little bit more sleep. Like starting any new habit, you don’t want to bite off too much, or overwhelm yourself with something that is just not realistic in your life.
I get it, I am not asking you to go to sleep at 8:30 right after the kids went to sleep. But what if you just went to sleep 30 minutes earlier? You can still have your quiet house to yourself, but just take the small steps to start taking care of your body and mind just a little better.
You’ve got this, and I promise, even the little changes will make a huge difference!
18 Ways to Get Better Sleep:
1. Set A Sleep Schedule
Having a consistent sleep schedule is one of the most important things you can do. It might feel like you just don’t have room in your day to get more sleep, but it really just comes down to our choices. If you are on a weight loss journey, increased sleep might just be the one part you’re missing.
As moms, we all feel the pressure to have to do it all. Time dedicated to sleep is often consciously reduced due to work and family demands. (1,3,10,11). But, take a second and look at the full picture of your life. Choose what it is you really want, and tell yourself that it is OK to give certain things up.
Practice saying no to things you really don’t want to do. Your schedule might free up, and you might even see yourself going to bed earlier without planning on it.
Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends, as much as possible. (12)
2. Create and Regularly Practice a Calming Bedtime Routine
Whether that includes bedtime yoga, a relaxing bath, warm herbal tea, and/or a soothing book, do what works to help you relax for the night. (3,10,12)
Your brain needs time to wind down and decompress from the day. Not only will you prepare your body and mind for better sleep, but you will also see a mood improvement just from taking an intentional relaxing moment for yourself. And everyone in your family will benefit.
3. Bright light in the day; block the blue at night.
Expose your eyes to bright light during the day, especially in the morning. This will help your brain know that it is time to wake up and start the day. But it also means that bright light will not be helpful when trying to go to sleep.
Avoid bright lights whenever possible toward the end of your night. When the light is dimmer and has more red wavelengths (think of a sunset), your brain makes the sleep hormone melatonin. (3,12,13)
If you need to use electronics at night, make sure you have night mode turned on or are using a blue light filter or glasses.
4. Make Your Bedroom Comfortable.
If you aren’t excited to fall into your mattress with your favorite pillows and comforter, I can understand why you wouldn’t want to prioritize your sleep. Make your bedroom an optimal place for sleep.
The temperature bedroom should be cool and dark so you aren’t woken by being too hot or cold or when the sun gets too bright. (3,12). If sounds bother you, consider blocking them out with a fan or white noise machine. (11)
5. Get Regular Exercise
We talk a lot about exercise. It’s obviously important if you’re on a weight loss journey. It can help you when you are facing a crisis of self-doubt or give you more energy. But it can also help you sleep better. (It’s funny how these things are all so connected, huh?)
For better sleep, try to do an aerobic exercise like walking, jogging, or swimming for at least 20-30 minutes each day. (11) Finish your exercise a few hours before you plan to go to bed so you have time to relax, and early enough that you don’t trick your brain into thinking it’s actually time to be more energetic. (1,3)
6. Get Honest About Your Caffeine Consumption.
I know some of you say that you can have caffeine later in the day, and it doesn’t affect your sleep. It might be true, but let’s look at a few factors why it might impact your sleep.
Caffeine works to wake you up by blocking the sleep-promoting effects of the compound adenosine. This reduces your ability to fall asleep. Caffeine can also increase the need to go to the bathroom, which can wake you up once you are asleep. The effects of caffeine on your body and brain can last several hours. (14)
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that the more caffeine you have before bed, the more it disrupts your sleep. They recommend not having caffeine within 6 hours of going to sleep. So, if you go to sleep at 10 p.m., eliminate energy drinks, coffee, caffeinated pop/soda, tea, etc. by 4 p.m. at the latest. Ideally, you would cut those out even earlier in the day. (3,12,13,16)
Research has found that if you have caffeine within 3-6 hours of going to sleep you may not even know that your sleep is being disrupted—even though it might be. (15)
7. Avoid Tobacco
Nicotine stimulates your brain and your heart, making it harder to fall asleep. (14) Avoid tobacco products, including regular cigarettes and nicotine-containing e-cigs. (3,12) If you have a very difficult time quitting, avoid it for at least two hours before you want to go to sleep. (14)
8. Nix the Nightcaps
You should avoid alcohol before bed because it negatively impacts sleep quality by reducing REM sleep. (14) Having alcohol before bed may seem okay because it can make you feel tired, but you actually don’t get quality sleep. (3,12,14)
9. Avoid a Big Meal Before Bed
Having a large meal before bed can disrupt sleep. This is especially true if you experience acid reflux. (12) Try eating throughout the day so you’re not too hungry when it’s time to sleep.
10. Slow Down Hydration Closer to Your Bedtime
Drinking enough water is so important for you. But waking up to go to the bathroom in the middle of your sleep cycle is not ideal.
Try to consume most of your daily water intake earlier in the day, or at least stop a couple of hours before your bedtime. (12) This way you will be both well hydrated, and well-rested.
11. Don’t Watch the Clock
Are you a clock watcher? Keeping an eye on the time when you can’t sleep prevents you from falling asleep. This is because it increases your mental activity through worrying about the time, rather than decreases it.
This can make falling back asleep more difficult if you woke up in the middle of the night. If you’re lying in bed awake for 20 minutes, try getting up and reading (with low or red/yellow-tinted light) or listening to soft music until you feel tired. (3,11,12)
12. Say No to the Nap Too Late In The Day
Naps are necessary for small children, but if you have trouble falling asleep, try avoiding them. There is one exception, though. A study in the British Medical Journal suggests that if you’re a college athlete, napping may improve your performance. (12)
13. Your Bed is Not A Desk
Your bed should be used for two things only: sleep and sex.
If you have gotten in the habit of multi-purposing your bed for work or relaxing outside of sleep, it’s possible you have trained your brain that it is not a place for sleep.
If you’re lying in bed awake, try getting out for a short time and trying again. There is strong evidence that this can help prevent insomnia and, over time, can improve the quality of your sleep. (12)
14. Calm Your Mind
Along with the growing public interest in mindfulness and meditation, there is a growing body of research as well. A recent review of several studies showed that mindfulness and meditation significantly improved sleep quality. (17) You can also try breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation. (18)
15. Be Social
Feelings of loneliness can affect your sleep. If you feel isolated and have little social support, you are more likely to suffer from the effects of stress and have more difficulty falling asleep and maintaining sleep. If your partner feels lonely and has poor quality sleep, you’re more likely to be affected, too.
Loneliness is associated with many sleep disorders, including insomnia, nightmares, and anxiety. (1) Try things to help you feel more connected like thanking people who help you in day-to-day life, reaching out to someone by email or social media, or signing up to volunteer in your community.
16. Follow Your Natural Chronotype.
Your chronotype is basically what defines when you are best suited for good sleep. If you’re an early bird, maximize this and go to bed early to wake up early. If you are a night owl, try to create a schedule where you can wake up later in the mornings to use your nights most productively.
17. Supplements Can Work If Needed
Melatonin supplements might help you feel sleepy and there is some evidence that it helps with jet lag. But, before you try these, note that they’re not recommended for everyone and have many known interactions. Be sure to read the warnings and cautions on the label and check with your healthcare professional to be sure they’re ok for you. (19)
Some melatonin supplements are not meant to be swallowed but instead dissolved under the tongue (sublingual). Be sure to check your product labels to use them as recommended.
18. Look at Your Medications
Some medications can disturb sleep (e.g., beta-blockers, corticosteroids, analgesics, antidepressants). (2) If you’re taking medications, speak with your doctor or pharmacist to see if yours is one of them and if there may be alternatives to consider.
If these don’t help or you think you may have a sleep disorder, see your healthcare professional.
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I hope some of these tips can be helpful to your specific needs. We are all looking to get more out of our life, but if we sacrifice sleep, no one will win.
If you want to talk further about how to make sure you get enough sleep, how to adjust your schedule or help to keep yourself accountable, please reach out to me!
And If you try nothing else, try the first step. Look at your schedule and set your priorities. When you take care of the foundation, everything else will fall into place.
Let me know how it goes! Did you try any of these tips? What worked for you and what do you think you’re going to let go in order to get better sleep?
Sarah Failla
References
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