Having trouble sleeping? Or perhaps you’re falling asleep but finding yourself waking periodically and feeling very tired in the morning? Whatever problems you’re facing at night, below are a collection of tips I use whenever I feel I need to reset that may help you get more rest (and better sleep!)
Let There Be (No More) Light
Artificial life can be tremendously detrimental to a good night’s sleep. Our bodies rely on many natural cycles, which bad lighting choices can disrupt significantly. When you’re a few hours away from the time you want to go to sleep, keep all lights as dim as possible, or even off.
Many people still rely on the TV too much at night-time to lull them to sleep. Try reading with a low-lamp or listening to the radio or a relaxing podcast.
Chris Kresser has a few more ideas on how to beat artificial light. They include an interesting app that adjusts the color schemes of your laptop and phone to the time of day.
Exercise regularly
Exercise is the cure-all elixir of many problems, from stress to anxiety to, yes, sleeplessness. Try working out both in the morning and later in the evening to see which works best for you and your energy levels.
Exercising three-to-four times a week makes sleep all the more restful. It might take weeks, even longer than a month, to see the full benefits but it has proven its use for many, so do your best if you can stick to it (I promise it gets better!)
Try relax as much as you can before bed
Getting yourself in a good pre-sleep mode is all part and parcel of making sleep all the better. Sure, we can exhaust ourselves right up to the point of collapsing into a snoring mess.
However, that sleep don’t do us much good. Instead, get as relaxed as you can before bedtime. One of the most satisfying ways to do this is by having yourself a nice, warm bath or shower.
Get the right mattress
If it’s discomfort that’s keeping you from getting to sleep, the problem might specifically be your mattress. Switching mattresses can often have immediate effects.
There are different types for all types of preferences however, if you’re looking specifically for comfort, perhaps try a brand like Ommage Sleep.
These are different from the standard memory foam mattresses that you may have already looked at. They also have a hundred-day trial period to take advantage of (win?)
If you’re having stress related sleep problems
If it’s your head keeping you up at night, then I definitely recommend taking that point on exercise above seriously. Exercise is well known for its benefits on stress, as we’ve said.
But to keep your mind clear for bedtime, another recommended action is making yourself a journal. Stress-journaling is a way of mentally compartmentalizing the troubling aspects of your life. As well as helping your stress in general, this can lead to a lot less worrying in bed.
When reading one of the many business / self-improvement books I devour, I saw a recurring theme. Many of the top CEO’s meditate and journal at the end of the day. Not your typical “Dear Diary” stuff here, but many orate into Evernote.
They use this method to recap their progress, successes and anything else. It gives them motivation the next day to accomplish more and allows them a record of how far they have come and what has been working for them thus far.
Schedule your sleep
Much like the cycle governed by light intake, sleep is majorly influenced by REM cycles. Scheduling your sleep to fit REM cycles can do a lot to make you feel more rested in the morning.
Sleepyti.me is a app you can use to make sure you wake up between REM cycles. Waking during one can leave you feeling exhausted, no matter how long you’ve been sleeping. Just use this tool to find out when you need to set your alarm for the best sleeping synchronicity possible.
What are some of your top tools to help you get a good nights rest?
