Sleep is the foundation of your mental and physical health.
This sounds like a bold statement, but think about it: rest is essential to your mind and body. When you sleep, your body gets the chance to relax and recover from the day before.
Sleep deprivation wreaks havoc on your health. In the short term, a lack of rest can make you feel moody, cranky, and unfocused, which makes it difficult to function.
In the long term, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to disease. It’s been associated with diabetes, obesity, digestive issues, memory loss, a poor immune system, and mood disorders like depression and anxiety.
Unfortunately, many of us struggle to get a good night’s rest. We either don’t sleep long enough – we should aim for between 7 and 9 hours per night – or we get poor quality sleep.
The good news is that there are a few ways to help yourself sleep better. Here are our top seven science-backed tips for getting the best sleep of your life.
1. Get more sunlight during the day
Your body is quite smart at figuring out when it needs to sleep. It operates on a 24-hour cycle, called a circadian rhythm, which is influenced by the light it receives.
At night, your body naturally secretes a hormone called melatonin, which helps you sleep and perform repair functions like autophagy and apoptosis. Sunlight, on the other hand, tells your body it’s time to be awake.
Unfortunately, many of us work inside all day, only to be bombarded with artificial light at night. This can interfere with your body’s sleep-wake cycle.
One way to get your sleep-wake cycle back on track is to get more sunshine during the day.
2. Avoid screens before bedtime
The screens on your phone, television, and laptop emit blue light. Blue light tells your brain it’s time to be awake. So, when you scroll Instagram while lying in bed, you’re sending mixed signals to your body. This interferes with your sleep-wake cycle.
To cut this interference, get into the habit of putting your phone down at least an hour or two before bedtime.
3. Use blackout curtains
Whether you realize it or not, the light that streams in through your window can interfere with your sleep. Because darkness triggers your body’s production of melatonin, any light in your bedroom can cause you to sleep poorly.
Thick blackout curtains can help you rest more fully by keeping light to a minimum. Certain blackout curtains can also regulate the temperature of your room and reduce noise from outside your window.
4. Keep your bedroom cool
For a good night of sleep, your bedroom needs to be the right temperature. Studies have found that the ideal temperature is around 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius).
At the same time, it’s important to keep your body at a comfortable temperature. Use comfy blankets and warm socks (if they’re comfortable for you) – chilly feet can keep you up at night!
5. Exercise during the day
Just as a toddler will run around for a few hours and then have a good, long sleep, it’s wise to tire yourself out. Even a few minutes of exercise can help you get rid of that restless energy.
When should you exercise? A 2014 study conducted by Appalachian State University investigated the best time to exercise to improve sleep. It divided participants into three groups: one group exercised at 7:00AM, the other exercised at 1:00PM, and the other group exercised at 7:00PM. It found that those who exercised in the morning slept far better than those who exercised later.
Of course, if you can only exercise later in the day, that’s okay – but give your body time to wind down.
6. Stick to a sleep schedule
Remember, sleep is cyclic. Many of us get stuck into a cycle of waking up late (and groggy), struggling to fall asleep at night, and waking up late and groggy again.
Waking up early makes it easier to fall asleep early, and vice versa. Keep trying to do this for a while, using the above-mentioned tips to help you. Eventually, your body will get used to sleeping and waking up at a certain time.
While adopting a healthy sleep schedule might be hard at first, it’ll get easier because your body will gradually get used to it. This might require some effort k at first, but your future self will thank you for it!
7. Speak with an expert
If you’re constantly struggling to sleep, it might be worth speaking with an expert. Chronic insomnia could be a symptom of a deeper underlying issue.
Health Coaching can help you address your sleep-related issues, especially if you find it difficult to create healthy bedtime routines.
If you’re feeling tired and need help figuring out how to improve your sleep, book a Discovery Call with one of our Health Coaches today.
