Have you ever missed those nice childhood days when after a long day of playing, you fell into bed and fell asleep the moment your head hit the pillow? Those were the days of sleep being this sweet, carefree thing.
Sleep isn’t supposed to be something we stress about. It doesn’t make sense to stress about something you’ll spend the quarter of your life doing.
You will sleep like a baby after following these tips!
Change the Temperature
Parents might be guessing or going by instinct to determine whether their kids are cold or hot at night, but it’s easy to guess at your own preferences.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, change the temperature of your room. You may notice a dramatic difference in the quality of your sleep.
The best temperature for a satisfying good night’s sleep is somewhat cool. This, of course, varies from person to person, but the majority of people enjoy setting their thermostat between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 15.6 to 19.4 degrees Celsius.
See, your body is already automatically programmed to have a slight dip in core temperature when evening comes around. When you turn your thermostat down, this may help temperature regulation and give your body the right signal that it’s time to hit the day.
The Miracle Morning
by Hal Elrod
⏱ 11 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
Stay Away from Stimulants
The 101 rule of finding dreamland is to avoid and skip stimulants. Caffeine and sodas sound like a good idea at dinnertime until you discover their effect can last up to eight hours!
Smoking is also a big no. If you do want something to help you wind down, a nice hot cup of green tea in the early afternoon does wonders.
Turn the Lights Off
One of the first tips to learning how to go back to sleeping like a baby is following the same principles parents do with their children.
This is getting your baby to sleep 101: the sleeping environment– particularly light exposure.
Kids aren’t the only ones sensitive to light. Adults are, too, and getting the lighting right is such an underrated part of trying to sleep better. Try to go with soft lighting options such as bulbs that filter out blue light. These bulbs help the brain to recognize the onset of night and signal the secretion of melatonin.
What does this mean in the end? You have guided your body into realizing it’s time to go to sleep. So next time bedtime comes, block out as much light as you can.
Your Bed May Be the Issue
Pick out fabrics and bedding that allow you to regulate your body temperature. And there’s nothing better than soft, cozy bedding against your skin that makes you enjoy lying down.
Speaking of fabrics, let’s bring up potential issues with your mattress that may be hindering your sleep just as babies need a comfortable, aesthetically-pleasing spot to sleep. Adults require a comfortable, aesthetically-pleasing spot as well, and this includes your bed and mattress.
Your bed should be this comforting thing that’s the centerpiece of your bedroom. And your mattress is your throne. Think “Princess and the Pea.” You know, that princess that couldn’t sleep because of one tiny pea under her mattresses?
If you’re having trouble, and instead of just not being able to fall asleep, you’re experiencing aches and pains, your mattress may be the pain in your back. Think of it as an investment. Test out the options, research ideal brands. And don’t be afraid to be picky.
Stick to a Routine
This next tip to sleeping better is divided into two sections. The first routine you need to stick to is a sleeping routine. Keeping a consistent sleep schedule– even if you plan on having wild weekends– does wonder for your sleep quality. This routine regulates your body’s internal clock and can lead to your falling asleep quicker and waking up easier!
Of course, a strictly set sleeping schedule may be hard to stick to, but even if you employ a few small changes, you’re on the right path.
The same also goes for waking up. And for napping. It’s strongly recommended that you should nap no later than 3 P.M and that your nap shouldn’t last any longer than 20 or 30 minutes.
Now, the next part of setting routines. This is about your nightly routine and what you should or shouldn’t be doing.
When you get used to doing the same thing night after night, you have effectively trained yourself to recognize bedtime. Whether that night routine includes reading a few small chapters from a book, having a cup of tea, or even walking your dog, it’s beyond important to schedule about 30 minutes that are just meant to relax you and wind you down from your eventful day.
Reading books is recommended, but binge-watching episodes isn’t that great of an idea straight before bed. We can put off watching the Queen’s Gambit to the next day, even if it’s just seven episodes.
That much light before bed doesn’t only lead to insomnia, but it’s been linked to depression and more.
Watch What You Eat
Never go to bed hungry. That’s our first piece of advice, but avoiding midnight snacks is our second. Now, how to coordinate this?
About half an hour or one to two hours before, Snacking before bed is the ideal window to satisfy that hunger– and pay attention: with healthy food.
If you knock back a full meal, one that’s greasy and just heavy, then go to sleep right away, the results manifest in something like indigestion and painful side effects like acid reflux.
Ideal snacks are high in protein. Those will keep your blood sugar stable– unlike a snack that’s high in carbs that may wake you up in the middle of the night. The best snacks are delicious snacks like nuts, sliced meat and cheese, apples, oatmeal, and whole-wheat bread. And guess what? A full, satisfied stomach makes you feel sleepy.
Exercise
The solution to many things is exercise, yet it’s one of the most ignored pieces of advice. It works, and it’s effective like no other.
Trying your hand at exercising about one to two hours before bed not only tires you out and ensures some good quality sleep, but there’s some biology behind it. See, when you wait one or two hours, you’re giving that endorphin rush you have just felt time to wash out, and you’re giving your body time to wind down.
And exercise also changes your body temperature, so exercise elevates your core body temperature. And when this time passes, that core body temperature starts to fall, which is the signal to your brain that it’s sleepy.
Thirty minutes is all you need to experience a difference in sleep quality.
The results are faster than you think!
The Right Sleeping Position
You’ve gone to bed at a decent hour; you’ve eaten one to two hours before. And you have moderately exercised two hours before as well, but the results aren’t to your taste. Now what?
Your sleep position may be just the thing affecting your quality of sleep. Choosing the right position is vital. It’s recommended that you try sleeping on your left side for side-sleepers, not the right, because it improves blood flow and digestion.
Avoid sleeping on your back as well. Not only will it affect you, but it will also affect those around you because it leads to snoring, which in turn affects their quality of sleep.
And lastly, sleeping on your stomach. It may be comfortable for now, but it’s regarded as one of the worst sleeping positions you can put your mind and body through. Sleeping on your stomach leads to lower back in, and when you have your head turned on your pillow all night, that will strain your neck.
To move on from this position, try transitioning to sleeping on one side by using pillows to prompt you up. Now, the most recommended position? The fetal position. It has loads of benefits! It relieves back pain and reduces snoring.
Unplug From the World
It doesn’t make sense to follow all the right steps, only to lie down in bed for two hours more in the dark, scrolling through social media. One of the first steps you should apply to your routine is to unplug your phone or set it away before bed.
Not only will the news you may stumble upon potentially upset you, but your phone’s artificial light will disrupt those handy chemicals in your brain that are trying to get you to feel sleepy.
Have a Good Morning Routine
We saved the best and last step for last! Having a good morning routine goes hand in hand with sleeping like a baby. How?
Well, even if you religiously follow the tips we mentioned before, if you shoot out of bed in the morning, frantically looking for your outfit for the day, your keys, and don’t have time for breakfast, you have just wasted all the effort with that rush.
Before going to bed, get everything ready for the next day. This also helps your peace of mind. Knowing that all you need to do is predetermined will help you relax into a peaceful sleep. There, now you’re ready for a good night’s sleep.
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