Everyone has sleeping trouble now and then. If you’re stressed, worried, over exhausted, or not eating right, these can all make a good night sleep seem impossible. I’ve struggled my whole life with insomnia, and sometimes resort to taking OTC sleep aids. While these are helpful, I’m not one that feels like taking something forever, so I’ve been spending more and more time researching good sleep habits.
Not getting enough zzzz’s have some serious drawbacks. In addition to not being as productive during the day, it also leads to weight gain, a weak immune system, even a higher chance of having a car accident! Here are sleep makeovers that have helped me out so far.
- Keep away from the electronics at least an hour before bed. I was guilty of playing candy crush on nights I couldn’t fall asleep, and it sure wasn’t helping the problem.
- Keep the bedroom clean, dark and cool. I have found having nice clean, crisp sheets on my bed is very relaxing; even if it means changing the sheets more often and extra laundry, it’s worth it!
- Set up a relaxing bedtime ritual for yourself, whether it’s taking a warm shower, drinking a cup of tea, or reading (my way to relax before bed), make it something you find soothing.
- Don’t eat a big meal right before bed, but don’t go to bed starving either. Both can really interfere with falling asleep. If you had an early dinner, have a light, healthy snack before hitting the hay.
- Use relaxing scented oils in an oil diffuser. I like cedarwood, citrus and lavender.
- Keep the TV off. Falling asleep with the TV on is a big mistake I used to make in my early 20’s, and I’d wake up off and on all night long. Plus, once you’re in the habit, it’s a really hard habit to break. Use a fan, white noise machine (there are some great apps out there!), or humidifier if the room seems too quiet.
- You’ll always here go to sleep and get up at the same time, even on weekends. We all know that advice gets a big “yeah right!”. However, I’ve found trying to go to bed by midnight and up by 830am even on weekends does really help. I’m an early bird anyway, so adjust to an hour or two each direction for your normal weekday schedule.
Hopefully you’ll find a tip or two to help you get some much needed shut-eye, and if you have any tips, please share!
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