5 Simple Ways to Get Better Sleep
Why sleep is so important, ways to improve sleep quality, and how to resolve sleep issues
Getting a good night’s sleep ties into nearly every important aspect of our lives: our energy, happiness, alertness, and more. It strongly determines our mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Our health depends on us getting a sufficient amount of rest, and studies have determined that insufficient sleep can lead to a variety of health issues ranging from diabetes and heart disease to depression and anxiety.
In order to get the best sleep possible, sometimes we need to develop a strong routine and/or make some lifestyle changes. If you are looking to improve your sleep hygiene, here are a few options to experiment with:
1 | DEVELOP A SLEEP ROUTINE
According to Northwestern Medicine (n.d.), having a routine can greatly contribute to a healthier lifestyle. Establishing a regular sleep routine that would help you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day helps your body’s internal clock recognize when to start feeling tired at night.
To establish a routine, try to set a time to wake up and go to bed that you can stick to every day. Incorporating relaxing activities before going to bed such as taking a bath, lighting a candle, or listening to soothing music can help with establishing a sleep routine. The constant repetition of sleep-promoting behaviors also helps strengthen the nervous system’s association between those activities and sleep, which thereby reinforces the new habit.
2 | Eat Foods That Improve Sleep Quality, and Avoid Those That Hinder It
According to research, paying attention to what you eat and drink before going to bed is another important part of developing a healthy sleep routine. Going to bed on an empty or full stomach can disrupt sleep (“Sleep tips”, 2022).
You should also be mindful of your alcohol, caffeine, and even water consumption before your bedtime. Dr. Deirdre Conroy, a sleep expert at the University of Michigan, advises eliminating all caffeinated products 8 hours prior to going to bed. She also recommends avoiding alcohol 3 hours before bedtime (“When to stop”, 2020).
As a substitute for alcohol and caffeine, try drinking chamomile, lavender, or passion fruit tea, all of which have a calming and relaxing effect.
3 | Regular Exercise=Better Sleep
Research has shown that regular exercise can help alleviate sleep-related problems and improve overall sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation (2022), moderate-to-vigorous exercise can especially help increase sleep quality by reducing the time it takes to fall asleep (“sleep onset”).
The question of whether or not physical activity in the hours leading up to bedtime negatively impacts sleep has been extensively debated over the years. According to a study conducted by Youngstedt and Kline (2006), late-night exercise might improve sleep for some people.
For certain people, exercising later in the day may make them feel tired due to the way the body expends so much energy from working out. For others who are dealing with stress in their lives that keeps their mind active at night and makes it difficult for them to sleep, exercising can help them relax enough to be able to fall asleep. For some, though, strenuous and prolonged exercise can disrupt sleep due to elevated heart rate and adrenaline levels.
Since study results on the effect of late-night exercise on sleep vary, it might be best to experiment with a few options such as yoga, stretching, or going for a walk in the evening, in order to determine what types of exercises and exercise times work best for you and your sleep routine.
4 | Other Methods to Reduce and Manage Stress & Anxiety
In addition to breathing techniques such as taking deep breaks throughout the day, there are many other methods to reduce stress and anxiety before bed. Some activities that are useful to try before going to bed include writing, reading a book, and doing yoga.
Yoga, specifically Yin Yoga, is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety. Yin Yoga relieves stress throughout the body and mind and helps to achieve a state of calmness. Yoga is also a great way to practice breathing techniques and journaling helps with getting thoughts off your mind at the end of a day and allows you to organize your thoughts.
5 | Reduce Blue Light Exposure in the Evening
Both computer and phone screens emit blue light, so being on a screen in the evening can make it difficult to start feeling tired. Blue light can interfere with your ability to fall asleep for multiple reasons.
For one, blue light blocks the hormone melatonin, which is the hormone responsible for making you feel tired. Natural levels of melatonin in the body occur most frequently at night, so if you find yourself texting or watching movies just before bed, you aren’t allowing your body to fully utilize its natural way of making you sleepy.
Summary
There are many ways to improve your sleep, some of which require making adjustments or adding a few habits to your daily routine, but it is worth improving not only your sleep but also your physical and mental health. One of the top ways to improve your sleep is to establish a regular sleep routine that involves going to bed at the same time every day.
If you find it difficult to relax before going to bed, you can try a few different things that could help prepare your mind and body for a good night’s rest. Deep breathing exercises, reading, journaling, and doing yoga, are all great ways to help the body wind down at night and relieve stress. It is also helpful to avoid certain things that can disrupt your sleep schedule such as going to bed on an empty or full stomach, being on the phone or computer, avoiding caffeine 8 hours before bed, and avoiding alcohol 3 hours before bed.
Overall, it is best to reduce and manage stress as much as possible in order to improve sleep. If you have anxiety and stress that is making it very difficult to sleep, consult your doctor.
References
Health benefits of having a routine. (n.d.). Northwestern Medicine. Retrieved on September 26, 2022, from https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/health-benefits-of-having-a-routine
Sleep tips: 6 steps to better sleep. (2022, May 6). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved on September 26, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379
When to stop drinking alcohol, water or caffeine before bed for better sleep. (2020, December 16). Michigan Medicine. Retrieved on September 26, 2022, from https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/psychiatry/news/archive/202012/when-stop-drinking-alcohol-water-or-caffeine-bed-better-sleep
Pacheco, D. (2022, May 6). Exercise and sleep. Sleep Foundation. Retrieved on September 27, 2022, from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-activity/exercise-and-sleep
Youngstedt, D. S., & Kline, E. K. (2006). Epidemiology of exercise and sleep. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 4(3), 215-221. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-8425.2006.00235.x
Watson, F. N., Badr Safwan, M., Belenky, G., Bliwise, L. D., Buxton, M. O., Buysse, D., Dinges, F. D., Gangwisch, J., Grandner, A. M., Kushida, C., Malhotra, K. R., Martin, L. J., Patel, R. S., Quan, F. S., &; Tasali, E. (2015). Recommended amount of sleep for healthy adults: A joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Sleep, 38(6), 843-844. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.4716