There are many factors that could be contributing to poor sleep quality depending on the individual at hand. If you’ve found that despite your attempts to get to bed early, you’re still feeling tired each day, there are some simple hacks you can try to increase your sleep quality and feel more rested in the morning. Here are 5 things you can do to set yourself up for a better night’s sleep.
1. Develop a bedtime ritual.
It can be difficult to fully unwind from a day full of activities as you lie in your bed attempting to fall asleep. One way you can prep your body and your mind for sleep is to develop a bedtime ritual that signals to your body that it’s time to go to bed. You could try things like taking a relaxing bath, drinking a cup of herbal tea, listening to relaxing music, meditating, or even diffusing a relaxing essential oil in your room.
2. Check your mattress.
According to sleep experts in an article on The Huffington Post, things like excessive tossing and turning at night and increased stress during the day could mean it’s time for a new mattress. The same article addresses the issue of mattresses being too soft or too firm and suggests that you try your mattress for at least 20 minutes prior to purchasing. Although it would be ideal to head to the store and try each mattress before selecting one, most of us don’t quite have the time for that. For those of you who are strapped for time, the sleep experts at Eve Mattress recommend checking out memory foam mattress options as these will typically provide a comfortable mix of firm and soft for most buyers.
3. Avoid using your smartphone.
Studies continue to show that using your smartphone before bedtime can hinder the quality of your sleep. If you tend to look at your smartphone in bed before attempting to fall asleep, try placing it across the room before you get into bed at night. If you’re like most of us who use your phone as your alarm clock, placing your phone across the room could also be a way to help you get out of bed when your alarm goes off in the morning.
4. Exercise regularly.
The benefits of exercise are basically endless. Although we typically tie our fitness efforts to weight loss, their benefits in contributing to overall wellness and a better night’s sleep are almost more important. Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes each day. This will help your body run off some of its excess energy before you go to bed and will also contribute to your overall health and wellbeing which will help your body maintain regularity in important functions like sleep.
5. Stick to a schedule.
Like it or not, humans are creatures of habit. This means that we work best with schedules. According to the Sleep Foundation, if you’re having trouble sleeping, a lack of routine could be the issue. Try to set a time to get to bed each night. If you have decided to start a bed time routine as suggested in tip number one, try setting that to start on a specific schedule as well. So there you have it, 5 sleep hacks you can change your daily routine and bedroom setup to get a more restful sleep and feel relaxed and refreshed in the morning. Hopefully these tips will help you achieve not only a better sleep, but a better quality of life as well. If you have any additional tips or questions, I’d love to hear them. Feel free to post them in the comments below. Featured photo credit: Pexels via static.pexels.com
