Getting enough sleep can be incredibly difficult especially if you’re used to long and hard days at work and being woken up by a crying child. If you rely on caffeine and other pick-me-ups just to help you throughout the day, then the crash you experience at the end of it can be incredibly draining and make it impossible for you to get a good night’s rest.
If you crave sleep then we’re here to help. In this article, we’re going to show you a couple of proven ways that can help you sleep better at night. Whether you work long hours or have to take care of demanding children, you’ll find plenty of fantastic tips here to help you out.
Sleeping can be difficult for some, but with a bit of advice, it can become a simple routine to wake up feeling refreshed in the morning.
Practice a Bedtime Routine That You Can Stick To
People don’t realize just how important a bedtime routine is. It helps your body and mind wind down and the longer you practice it, the more consistent it will be at helping you fall asleep. Don’t neglect the power of a well-practised bedtime routine. Whether it’s something as simple as taking a shower or bath before bed, or drinking a warm cup of milk before you get into bed, it can do wonders.
Build a Natural and Consistent Sleeping Pattern
Make sure you sleep at consistent times. Don’t sleep for 6 hours one night then only 4 the next because you decided to stay up later to watch a film. Try to fall asleep and wake up the exact same time every single day. The harder you try this, the easier it will be for your body to develop a natural sleep cycle.
Stop Taking Long Naps During the Day
Long naps aren’t that great for you. As per the tip above, they’ll ruin your sleeping pattern and the swings in your health can be detrimental. Stick to a regular sleeping pattern and try not to take naps. If you absolutely have to, then limit them to a couple of minutes or half an hour, no more. If you need to rely on naps to get through the day, then it’s possible that you’re just not getting enough sleep.
The way you sleep can have a profound impact on the quality of your sleep, which is why it’s important to examine the way you lay down.
Stop Using a Device With a Screen Late at Night
Did you know that screen time at night can drastically affect the quality of sleep we get? It’s true; limiting screen time is incredibly effective at helping you get a good night’s rest because the are sleep-inducing hormones that are suppressed by the lights that are given off by devices like tablets and smartphones. The less you use electronics at night, the easier it will be to sleep.
Remove Electronics From Your Bedroom
You’ll also want to remove any electronics from your bedroom. The idea is to keep your bedroom for sleeping at nothing else. If you start working in your bedroom or using your laptop on your bed, then you’re just going to end up associating your work or your play with your bedroom. Keep electronics out–even your smartphone!
Cut Down Your Caffeine Intake in the Evening
When taken in moderation, caffeine can actually be great for you. However, it does have some negative side effects especially when it comes to sleep. Caffeine taken a few hours before bedtime can have drastic effects on your sleep. To make things worse, trying to cut caffeine out of your system will make you feel increasingly sleepy and potentially give you headaches because of the withdrawal symptoms. If you’re serious about getting better quality sleep, then make sure you cut down on your caffeine intake in the evening before you sleep.
Is your alarm your worst enemy in the morning? You’ll be surprised at just how helpful it can be to disable that snooze button.
Change Your Mattress
Comfort is important in the bedroom and your mattress is the object you sleep on every single night. If it’s not comfortable and doesn’t support your body, then you’re going to wake up feeling sore, your muscles will ache and your entire body will disagree with you. Get yourself a more expensive and more comfortable mattress–it’s well worth the money.
Try Different Pillows
There’s a reason why hotels offer a pillow menu to their guests. Pillows can help create a comforting and relaxing environment if you allow them to. You’ll need to try out different pillows to see which one supports you the best. Some pillows are more springy, some will mould to the shape of your head, and others will help to support your neck while you sleep. The right pillow can make a world of difference, so try out different ones whenever possible to see which ones help you get a good night’s sleep.
Give Aromatherapy a Shot
There’s a lot of power in scents, and aromatherapy is your ticket to a good night’s sleep. Some scents can just be misted on your pillows while others can be rolled on. There are other ways to harness these scents too, such as using a diffuser or putting a few drops of the oils into your bath or during your shower. The scents will relax you, they’ll put you in a comfortable state of mind and will ultimately give you a good night’s rest.
These are all great ideas that can help you sleep better at night, but you’ll need to turn some of them into habits and they might not work the first time. For instance, you might have difficulty adjusting to a new mattress on the first night, and cutting down on caffeine could initially make it even harder for you to get a good night’s rest. However, stick with them and you’ll find that these are healthy habits that you should have developed years ago.
Photo Credit: Mojitos and Munchkins, Ivan Obolensky, Pexels, bruce mars, Acharaporn Kamornboonyarush, Photo by Hutomo Abrianto on Unsplash, Photo by Logan Nolin on Unsplash, Photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash, Wunderela
