I know you know the dreadful feeling of waking up and feeling like you got no sleep whatsoever. Trying to sleep better is an increasing issue in today’s world. Our technological advancements allow us to conduct all the same activities we normally would do during the day, at night.
Now, our workdays are seemingly never-ending. There is pretty much nothing stopping us from doing anything we want until we decide we have just had enough. Often, this can lead to stress and just pure exhaustion.
And then, when it is finally time to get some much-needed rest, our minds are just so busy thinking about what we had done or what we could do, or what may, might, or should happen tomorrow. Then all of a sudden it’s lights out, and we wake up and do it all over again the next day, the day after, and the day after that.
Sleep is something our bodies desperately need. It allows us to recharge, and replenish ourselves so we can live healthy and happy lives. Without good sleep, our bodies become run down and unhealthy. These are some simple tips to help you sleep better every night.
1. Avoid Electronics Before Bed
This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Using electronics before bed keeps our minds active and alert when we should be using this time to wind down and calm our minds. Some devices now have a setting for a blue-light filter, which is meant to help us at night because blue light is something known to disrupt our sleep cycles. However, filtering out the blue light really doesn’t do much. You are still keeping your mind awake when it should be getting sleepy.
It has been proven that using electronics before bed reduces the total amount of REM sleep we get per night, which is what is also known as deep and restful sleep. It is best to limit your device use to about 1-2 hours before bed to help. Yes I know, I love watching Netflix, Hulu, and HBO into the wee hours of the night too. However, that should never be an everyday thing. Learn to listen to your body and give it the time it needs to rest and recover after a hard day of work.
2. Read a Book
For those of you who absolutely must have some form of entertainment before bed, I recommend reading a good book. And no, not on your phone, tablet, kindle, or any other device. A good old-fashioned paper book.
At the end of the day, you are most likely already tired from everything you have done that day. Reading before bed helps tire our eye muscles, and when we aren’t looking directly at a bright light as we do on our devices, this can actually make us fall asleep faster.
For me, I turn on a dim light in my room like my salt lamp and read books centered around peace and stillness. This helps me sleep better as I am actively training my mind to disengage from the outer world. My favorite bedtime books are Stillness Speaks, The Power of Now, and A New Earth.
3. Minimize Lighting
Thanks to some intelligent individuals in the early 19th century, we are able to flip a switch and light our homes at night. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing on its own, too much artificial light at night can disrupt the body’s production of melatonin, which is one of the main hormones responsible for making us sleepy. This is another reason why you should cut down on device usage before bed…
Minimizing light at night can help you sleep better as you are essentially setting the mood for a relaxing space, and allowing your body to produce the hormones necessary for restful sleep. This is one of the reasons why I prefer to use salt lamps and candles at night. I still have enough light to get around without bumping into things, but I am not overwhelming my body with mass amounts of light.
It also helps to make sure your family is on the same page about this type of thing. I don’t know how many times I’ve hollered at Jessy for disrupting my lighting mood when he comes in at night guns blazing turning on all the lights in our house after taking the dog for a walk…*facepalm*
4. Use Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is something that I have come to swear by. The older I get the more appreciative I am of things like scented candles and my essential oil diffuser. There are certain properties within plants that are known to help us relax, calm down, and induce sleepiness. For me, Lavender is my number one go-to product for aromatherapy at night.
Often I will light some lavender incense, or put a few drops of lavender essential oil in my diffuser before bed. I’ve found this helps create a relaxing environment and gives my body a chance to unwind and calm down. These are 12 Lavender Aromatherapy Products that I have found to be incredibly helpful in putting me to sleep at night.
5. Try Natural Sleep Supplements
I love sleep supplements. I just do. The feeling of overwhelming uncontrollable drowsiness is just Ah-Mazing to me. Instead of being addicted to Nyquil or Benadryl, I turn to natural nonaddictive sleep supplements. My favorite natural sleep supplements are melatonin and chamomile tea. Both are effective in inducing drowsiness. This is when I find I sleep better as I am getting more restful sleep than I normally would.
If you are someone who is worried about becoming addicted to sleep supplements (ahem, Jessy…) just remember that being addicted to something is more of a self-habit than anything. You could be addicted to anything, whether it’s explicitly labeled as addictive or not. I know I could be a potato chip addict if I didn’t control myself when buying chips.
6. Practice Meditation
Meditation is something that has helped me sleep better than anything else I have tried. During my long and lonely nights throughout college, meditation was something I always turned to when I needed to just check out and get some sleep.
I noticed when I first started doing meditation how sleepy it would make me because I was training my mind to let go of everything. For me, this allowed a blissful state of drowsiness to overcome me. Probably because I was already tired, and I was then just learning how to connect my mind to my body.
If I did not have meditation in my life, I am not sure I would have come as far as I have in my life. Meditation has not only allowed me to sleep better, but also to gain control of my life. The mindset I have obtained thanks to my meditation practices has given me the confidence and will to start living my dream life. It all has to do with the power of your own mind. Don’t let your mind stop you from living the life of your dreams.
Learn how to get started today with our 5 Day Self Care Challenge below.
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