How to Sleep Better Naturally

5 Simple Techniques To Sleep Better

Chances are if you’re reading this, you’re wondering how to sleep better. According to a recent University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Study, one in four Americans develops insomnia each year. That’s a lot of people that are lying awake in bed, worrying about getting a good night’s sleep. While it might be common to have sleep problems, it isn’t healthy. While pills and other kinds of sleep aids might help you fall asleep initially, too often, these sleep aids do not offer a long-term sleep-routine solution. Learning how to sleep better is essential to overall health as science has found that a night’s rest can directly impact the brain, body, and even your mood. One study by the Harvard Business Review found that people who took the time to get a good night’s sleep were more likely to be inspired at work, and were more likely to form leadership qualities. This is why both the CDC and the National Sleep Foundation characterises sleep deprivation as a public health epidemic. If you’re worried that a restful night’s sleep is elusive, we’ve got five tips on how to sleep better that may help get your brain and body on its way to feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. We’ve focused on how to sleep better at night naturally so that you don’t have to rely solely on over the counter sleep medications. Don’t waste any more time not being able to fall asleep, tossing and turning and hoping for a good night!

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Tip #5- Put Your Phone Away (and Keep it There)

There’s no text more important than getting a night of better sleep. Unfortunately, most people are attached to their devices. A phone is actually terrible for your sleep patterns, here’s why: phones emit blue light. Blue light can throw off your circadian rhythm (your circadian rhythm is the way your body naturally knows when to fall asleep). This is because the blue light emitted by screens can delay the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Your eyes send signals to your brain, and your mind becomes over-stimulated. This really messes with your internal clock and your body’s sense of time. Too often this can lead to insomnia. Your bedroom should never be a place for conducting business. While it can be scary to think that you’ll miss out on a work email, an important text or social media at night, falling asleep needs to take priority; remember a good day starts with a good night. So put your phone away and focus on creating good sleep habits. Not only can this help with natural melatonin production, focusing on good sleep should be part of your daily health regimen for your well-being. It’s not just about the number of hours you sleep; it’s about the quality of sleep you get also. Ditching your devices as part of your sleep routine is an easy move, it may reduce your stress level, and is a great first step when you’re trying to figure out how to sleep better at night naturally.

Tip #4- Create Good Habits and a Sleep Schedule for Yourself

We are creatures of habit, and poor sleep begets poor sleep. But taking the time to create a good sleep routine can turn your restless night into a restful one. Make sure that you’re focused on relaxation before bed. There are several ways to start this routine, and they don’t all have to start in the bedroom. A warm bath is a perfect addition to your sleep routine to soothe and promote sleepiness. The warm water can help you fall asleep faster as it relaxes the muscles in your body. Make sure that you stick to a set bedtime schedule and that you are waking up at the same time every day. Having a set sleep schedule is an important part of achieving consist rest at night which can help reduce bouts of insomnia. It can take a few weeks to settle into a sleep schedule, so even if you don’t get it right away, don’t give up. Put the time in and make an effort to get to bed at a time where you will have enough hours for slumber if you truly want to sleep better. Forming a routine can also help you get more REM sleep, the deeper sleep where the body and brain go into a restorative mode.

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Tip #3- Eliminate Caffeine and Add Melatonin

Drinking caffeine too late in the day can wreak havoc on your health by affecting your sleep. Sure, we all want an afternoon coffee for that quick pick-me-up, but having caffeine in the afternoon or evening can affect your sleep quality. While caffeine can feel like a good way to get through the day, taking a power nap is probably a better option. A 20-minute daytime snooze can recharge your batteries and refresh you at a cellular level. Don’t worry; people won’t think you’re weird; this is a work trend that’s here to stick around. So much so, that the people at working at the big three tech giants all allow their employees the time to take a nap rather than their employees having to use caffeine to stay alert. Along with a nap in the daytime, another tip that can help that is natural for your body is to take a melatonin supplement before bedtime. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in the body that many people take as a sleep supplement, short term, to help reset your body clock for sleep. Melatonin is so commonplace now that most people can find it in their local grocer. While more studies are needed to understand if melatonin is effective for some forms of insomnia, improved sleep can happen when melatonin is taken at the right time if your sleep cycle is off. This is especially true when it comes to jetlag or shift work. You’ll potentially, get to sleep faster, and enjoy more hours of sleep enabling you to wake up more refreshed for your day ahead. Always check with your doctor before taking any supplements for sleep as they may interact with other medications that you may be taking.

Tip #2-Exercise and Eat Better

We know, we know, many people don’t want to hear this, but if you’re looking for how to sleep better at night naturally, you’re going to need to exercise more and eat better. Exercise is a great stress reducer and can help to tire the mind before bed; just give yourself two hours between the time you exercise and bedtime so that your body is relaxed and ready for sleep. Trying to sleep too soon after exercise can have the opposite effect on many people, amping up your body, and increasing your alertness level when you should be winding down. It is fascinating, not only that exercise releases tons of ‘happy mood’ endorphins, but the direct correlation between regular exercise, and good sleep. There are foods that can help promote sleepiness too. Foods high in magnesium like almonds, or drinks that are high in melatonin like tart cherry juice right before bed, may help improve your ability to get to sleep and may keep insomnia at bay. This can be a good solution in conjunction with an exercise routine if you are wondering how to get better sleep. Consume foods that are low in carbs and sugars, more so in the evening, so that you don’t have to worry about it affecting your sleep. Also, eliminate alcohol at night as it may help you to sleep but will affect your quality of sleep significantly, even disrupting your sleep, leaving you very tired in the morning.

Tip #1-Get Checked for Sleep Apnea and get a Good Mattress

A little bit of snoring is normal once in a blue, but if you’re snoring chronically to the point where your breathing is affected, then you might need to be checked for sleep apnea. Basically sleep apnea is when a flap at the back of your throat constricts airflow while you sleep, causing your sleep time to be disrupted and of poor quality. This is a big deal, as sleep apnea has been linked to hypertension, and in some cases even death. If you’re waking up tired every morning, or people in your life complain about your snoring, then it’s a no-brainer to get checked for sleep apnea. A medical professional will be able to offer several treatment options depending on the type of sleep apnea you have. Treatment may include a nutrition plan for weight loss, and a CPAP machine at night. If you’ve tried everything else and you still want to know how to get better sleep, maybe it’s time you tested for sleep apnea. If you want to know how to get better sleep, it may start with updating your mattress. If your mattress is lumpy or sagging, it can affect your quality of sleep and leave you achy in the morning. A comfortable, high-quality mattress can help to promote more restful sleep. Everyone should have a good mattress. If you’ve had your mattress for some years, it may be time to consider the great mattress options out there. Ditch your bad mattress. Your sleep awaits you!

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