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Do you find yourself refilling your coffee cup throughout the day? Or digging for quarters for a soda from the vending machine?
Chances are, that caffeine boost you want may not just be the afternoon slump; it could be because you aren’t getting enough sleep. You’re not alone, it’s more common than you think!
Did you know, 4/5 people say they struggle with sleep at least once a week? This ranges from insomnia, tossing & turning, not getting enough sleep, or from not completing their sleep cycle.
The good news is, there are simple changes you can make to set yourself up for a good night’s sleep and help you sleep better at night.
Tips to Help You Sleep Better at Night
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Set a Schedule
Probably the simplest, yet hardest to implement, putting yourself on a routine, and setting a bedtime. And sticking to it! Even on the weekends, or on your days off.
To start this, think about what time you need to get up in the morning. Do you need “alone” morning time with your coffee and local news? Does it take you 30 minutes to get ready for the day? All these factors are important!
Most adults need an average of 7-9 hours of sleep. So set your bedtime accordingly!
Don’t hit the snooze, or negotiate with yourself for just 5 more minutes. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to do what you need to, without feeling stressed and rushed.
It will be difficult for the first few nights, as your body starts to adjust to a new sleep pattern. Just stick to it!
Keep track of your sleep habits. Snag a Weekly Sleep Tracker and see how your sleep patterns affect the way YOU sleep!
Have a Wind Down Ritual
This is very helpful as you start to implement your new sleep schedule. It’s best to start your own wind-down ritual, where you are able to disconnect from devices and relax before going to bed.
Great wind down techniques include:
- taking a warm bath with essential oils – lavender has natural properties to help you relax and makes you sleepy!
- writing out a to-do list for the next day
- listening to relaxing music
- stretching, yoga, and meditation
- drink some chamomile tea, or other herbal teas you enjoy
Just make sure the activities you are doing are relaxing, and won’t overstimulate your brain or body.
You May Also Like: 5 Must-Have Essential Oils For Your Home
Turn Your Bedroom into a Relaxing Place
This can be difficult for those with roommates, or workaholics, or just anyone that loves their bedroom. But! You should transform your bedroom into a relaxing space for sleep and sex only.
There is a strong association with sleep and the bedroom. Bringing other distractions such as TVs, iPads, Phones, etc. will weaken that association; making it difficult for you to fall asleep, and stay asleep. You want your bedroom to be dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature.
If you are struggling how to transform your space, try these ideas:
- get blackout or dark curtains for your windows
- try a fan if your bedroom tends to get warm – a floor fan is perfect!
- make your own canopy around your bed to transform your space into a dark quiet area
- hang up fairy lights to create a romantic and relaxing atmosphere
- use a diffuser with essential oils to create a nice smelling and relaxing state, or try a fan that has aromatherapy function included.
- keep your bedroom tidy and clean
You May Need to Upgrade Your Mattress & Bedding
Yep, sometimes your poor sleep is simply from sleeping on the wrong mattress or having itchy, uncomfortable bedding. Having an unsupportive mattress creates bad sleep posture, thus prevents you from getting a good night’s rest, and completing your sleep cycle.
You want a mattress that is firm enough to support your spine, yet contours to your body as you move throughout the night. It’s also recommended that you get a new mattress every 7 years, or sooner if your mattress seems worn out.
Look for quality over price. Yes, you get what you pay for, but there are many mattress brands that are reasonably priced and of great quality.
You may also want to find a company that gives you a trial, or guarantee, and one that gives you a warranty. Often times, the first few nights on a new bed are heaven and then you realize it’s not for you!
Puffy, for example, offers a 101-night trial and has a lifetime warranty. They also have a monthly payment option through Klarna, which is a great option to have.
As for bedding, you can find nice quality bedding at many local retail stores. Again, go for quality over price! Psst! Puffy has bedding, too!
Diet & Exercise
You didn’t think I would skip out on the diet & exercise section, did you!? Of course not!
In all seriousness, your diet plays a huge part in your body’s sleep schedule, habits, and ability to again, complete the sleep cycle.
Having a balanced diet is crucial for a good night’s sleep. The first bits of advice would be to avoid alcohol before bed, and caffeine.
Some individuals don’t eat after a certain time, but that isn’t always doable with our busy schedules. If you do eat close to your bedtime, just remember the three chemicals that help to get a good night’s sleep: tryptophan, serotonin, and melatonin.
10 melatonin rich foods to help with sleep are:
- nuts
- pumpkin seeds
- milk
- turkey
- chicken
- fish
- cherries
- tomatoes
- bananas
- oats
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Let’s Chat
Do you struggle with a good night’s sleep? What have you tried to sleep better at night? Will any of my Tips To Sleep Better at Night help you? Share your thoughts below and let’s chat!
Don’t forget to snag my FREE Weekly Sleep Tracker and start tracking your sleep habits TONIGHT!
Tonyalee is an avid reader, gym junkie, coffee addicted workaholic, and blogger. Be sure to follow on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for random shenanigans.
33 Comments
Ohhh I totally need to create a wind down schedule lol i usually just close the laptop and then call it a night but usually find myself on my phone in bed 😂 great idea!
Lucy recently posted…19 Exciting Fun Summer Activities at Home for Kids
Great tips! I need to get much better at removing distractions from my bedroom. I know I sleep much better if I leave my phone downstairs but it’s crept back in LATEly. Thanks for the reminder!
Alison recently posted…Discovering My Inner Artist With This Beautiful Paint By Numbers Kit
Really thorough post! I love splurging on luxurious bedding, after all, we do soend a lot of time sleeping. Also, a wind down routine is super important. Nice job!
Maura recently posted…The 7 Best Foam Roller Exercises to Combat Poor Desk Posture
Ooh I’m saving the list of foods to help you sleep! Thank you!
This is a very helpful post. Thanks for sharing your tips
Loved this post! I’m always needing better sleep. It encouraged me to get into a good routine and help me know that I can do it!
I love yoga before bed. my problem is keeping my bedroom organized. THngs find a way of being dumped and that is not relaxing at all.
I think i should cut my coffee out. Thanks for the helpful tips!
Great tips! I feel like I sleep quite well, once I get to sleep anyway haha. Sometimes it does take me an hour to get to sleep but once I’m asleep I’m knocked out until morning! My blackout curtains definitely help, and I usually pop a candle on in my room around half hour before going to sleep which has been helping!
Chloe xx
The melatonin foods list was a really interesting read. I definitely notice a difference in my sleeping habits if I’ve made some diet and exercise changes so I might have to try upiing my intake of some of these things to see if I notice a change x
Sophie
Sophie recently posted…Omega 3 Stove Top Granola Recipe | GF
I de need to try these, my sleep is a mess lately!
I think it is for a lot of us right now with being on “lockdown”
These are great tips! Fully agree on the mattress too! We just, replaced ours & it is amazing!
It makes all the difference, doesn’t it!?
I’ve been having terrible sleep for many months now and it’s so disrupted. I really need to get into a wind down routine as I think not having one is contributing to my poor sleep health. Thanks for sharing!
Molly @ Transatlantic Notes recently posted…TN Poetry | Healing
It really does help! It takes a few weeks but eventually, your mind and body will start to recognize the routine
These are great tips! I try to unplug before bed and stay off social media for at least a half hour before bed and it definitely helps.
That does help! This is one I struggle with, too!
These are great. I like putting a sac of lavender buds by my bed to help me sleep better.
I have been having trouble sleeping lately and these tips are doable! I will keep this list from now on.
I have been working on creating a nightly routine. Getting on a schedule has helped a lot. This is a great list.
Michele recently posted…Stop Right Now! 8 things that TikTok has taught me about PCOS
I sould definitely try wi d down routine and ofcourse keeping the phone away. Let’s see how that goes.
will deffo try most of this as i badly needed to have a good sleep. i love having a warm bath, not just to have a good sleep, i find it as my stress reliever but im not aware that i can put essential oils , i’m excited to try this.
Great tip but sleep is essential so these are helpful, thanks for sharing here.
thanks so much for these tips as I do need sleep better especially am having tight working dateliens, stress till i dont sleep well. cheers, siennylovesdrawing
siennylovesdrawing recently posted…NEW Baby Carrie with 100% Organic Natural Actives
Great tips I think i need to upgrade my mattress and bedding!
Kimberley recently posted…Loch Lomond Sea Life Centre
These are really great tips thah I’ll be trying out. I definitely have issues with falling asleep (and staying asleep) throughout the night to the point where i wake up at the last possible minute to start work. Id love to be a morning person one day, but it seems impossible for me now!
Rayka | South Asian Skin Blog
http://www.southasianskin.com
Love these tips. Honestly I have such hard times falling aSleep. Few years ago it Got so bad that i Slept 3 hours per day and I just had to visit doctor. Since i Changed my routine I got a bit better. I am definitely going to eat more melatonin-rich foods to get even better results!
I so needed these right now. thanks for sharing. hope these help me.
Great post. I never had trouble sleeping, due to low blood presure, but thise will help somebody for sure.
I really needed those tips. Its so hard to have a good sleep especially during Summer when it is so hot outside.
Great TIPS tho. honestly i’m having troubles to sleep and with this i know i can do better now.
Beneficial tips on getting a better night’s sleep. A good night’s sleep is so important to our overall wellbeing.