A healthy night sleep is more attainable than you may think. When we’re well rested, we perform better at work and in life, making your sleep habits one of the essential pieces of a life well lived.
Sufficient, Quality Sleep Is Critical to Overall Health and Well-being
These ten tips for healthy sleep can help you focus on the best changes to make in order to sleep well every night.
1. Keep Your Room Cool
Improve your sleep by dropping the temperature a few degrees. Because our bodies internal temperature lowers when we’re ready to sleep, a cool room facilitates this change. A room set between 60 and 67 degrees provides a more restful atmosphere for a great night’s sleep.
If your bedroom is too warm or too cold, there is a lower likelihood of entering REM cycles and an increased chance of restlessness. By creating a dark, cool place to sleep, you can support healthy sleep every night.
2. Journal & Write Tomorrow's To-Do List
Does your mind keep cycling through tomorrow’s tasks instead of sleeping? Journaling and writing tomorrow’s to-do list before turning out the light can help lessen overthinking and help you sleep soundly. Anxiety is a common sleep inhibitor, so it’s important to establish a self-care routine before bed.
Journaling though emotions, fears, and questions can help release daily stress, which in turn can help improve sleep quality. Writing out everything you need to do will help put your mind at ease, helping you worry less about forgetting something important and focus on sleep instead.
3. Create (and Maintain) a Sleep Schedule
While it may not be as fun on the weekends, maintaining a sleep schedule supports a healthy circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is like our body’s personal clock, and it thrives on routine. Set a regular bedtime and set an alarm for the same time every morning.
While this is certainly important, don’t worry if life gets in the way and there are a few days where your routine is disrupted. The overall average is more important. If your sleep schedule is disrupted, make it your week’s goal to get back on schedule.
4. Practice a Calming Bedtime Routine
A bedtime routine is protected time where your only focus is preparing your body for sleep. Lowering the lights helps separate bedtime from activities that can disrupt a healthy night’s sleep.
Your routine should include pre-bedtime activities like brushing your teeth and washing your face, but it could also include a short yoga practice, journaling, and preparing tomorrow’s outfit. Use a salt lamp or other dim light to keep the room as dark as possible and put your phone and computer away in order to minimize blue light exposure.
5. Relax Outside of the Bedroom
Your bedroom should only be for sleep and sex, not work, TV, or eating. In order to strengthen the association between your bedroom and sleep, move into another room to read until you’re tired. Then, get back in bed and focus on relaxing and clearing your mind.
Removing all screens is important as well, because the blue light from devices can impact circadian rhythm.
6. Avoid Heavy Meals
Heavy meals can cause discomfort from indigestion, which can amp the body up instead of wind it down and make it difficult to sleep. Eating your last meal two to three hours before bed provides a window for your body to digest before you begin your bedtime routine.
If you’re still hungry after dinner, a small snack 45 minutes before can satiate you without requiring your body to digest a large amount of food.
7. Limit Nicotine, Alcohol, and Caffeine Use
Nicotine and alcohol can inhibit healthy sleep, among other effects. Caffeine, even if you aren’t very sensitive to it, can also keep you awake when you would rather be dreaming. Limiting these substances will help your body better prepare for sleep. (And help you stay asleep.)
8. Use Light to Manage Your Circadian Rhythm
In the same way that dim light supports your internal clock in the evening, using bright lights (preferably natural light) can help signal your body that it’s time to wake up. If your bedroom gets morning light, you can simply open your curtains.
If you wake up before the sun rises or your bedroom enjoys afternoon light, consider getting a wake-up light. This light is created to mimic the sun’s specific color temperature, which is why typical incandescent bulbs don’t offer the same benefits.
9. Keep a Sleep Diary
If you’ve adjusted your environment and nothing has worked, consider talking to a sleep doctor to determine the root cause. A sleep diary can help your doctor determine the cause of your sleeping woes.
Include the time you went to bed and when you woke up, as well as how you feel in the morning and what you ate and did the night before. The more information, the better!
10. Evaluate Your Bedding
If it’s been a while since you purchased your mattress and pillows, it may be time to upgrade. A comfortable mattress and supportive pillows can improve your sleep.
Most good quality mattresses will last up to ten years, though if you’re noticing new aches and pains before the ten-year mark it may be time to purchase a new mattress. Pillows can attract household allergens and should be washed regularly and replaced every few years.
Good sleep is one of the essential elements to a healthy life. These ten tips can keep you well-rested and ready for the day. This investment of time and resources isn’t just for right now; it can impact your future. For luxury bedding you’ll love climbing into, check out our organic cotton bedding line of pillows, linens, and comforters.
Updated August 2, 2022
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