How to Improve Your Sleep

How did you sleep last night? If you answered not great, you are among the millions who have difficulty sleeping. Lack of quality sleep impacts you in ways you may not expect. Not getting enough sleep can not only make you physically tired throughout the day but mentally tired, as well. But, did you know that it might trigger food cravings, too? Eating too much or choosing unhealthy options creates its own set of issues, and never mind trying to exercise, if you’re exhausted. So, what can you do improve your sleep and jump start your health? Here are some tips:

1. Get outside: It’s important to make sure you expose your body to real daylight. Sunlight is best but as long as you are outside, that will do. This is especially important if you work indoors most of the day. Your body needs to see the outdoors to regulate itself. This helps it know when it’s time to be awake and when it’s time to sleep. Bonus tip: If you get outside first thing in the morning, it helps you wake up faster, too!
2. Set a schedule: It’s best to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This includes the weekends, too! Think about how you feel when we change the clocks back, or you travel to a different time zone. That jet lag is the same as what we do when we stay up super late on Friday and Saturday nights, sleep in the next morning and then try to get back on our work sleep routine the next week. I get it. Life happens and you may be up later on the weekends. Try not to make that a habit. Staying within an hour or so of your weekday schedule will be a huge improvement.
3. Bedtime routine: It’s not just for babies and young children. We ALL need a bedtime routine. It’s best to start winding down an hour or two before you want to go to sleep. Stop eating two hours before bed, dim the lights and limit screen time one hour before bed, do something relaxing, such as stretching, meditation, prayer, or reading (nothing too scary!). Do the same thing each night. This signals your body that it’s time to sleep. Here is my personal routine for inspiration. I’ve been doing it for YEARS.
   • 7:30 p.m. – stop eating
   • 8 p.m. – stretch, cross stitch, or do a quiet activity
   • 8:30 p.m. – read to my son
   • 9 p.m. – read to myself (I use a Kindle on a nighttime light setting)
   • 9:30 to 10 p.m. – bed (I fall asleep within minutes)
4. Careful with the caffeine – Caffeine is a hidden sleep suppressant. It can cause ill effects hours after you consume it. Experts say it’s best to stop caffeine 10 to 12 hours before bed! I have found after noon to 2 p.m. works for me but I only have one, maybe two cups of coffee a day. If you tend to have caffeine later in the day, try stopping it earlier. Also, check the amount. Too much even taken 10 to 12 hours before sleep, could be impacting your rest.
5. Gather data – There are lots of wearable devices and apps out there to track and monitor sleep. If you like data, try one or more of them and see what it tells you about your sleep. Do you tend to wake up at the same time? Are you not in restful sleep? You can find out a lot about your nights!
6. Take a supplement – Supplements can also be helpful especially if you are deficient in a vitamin. Magnesium and Vitamin D are the main culprits. Both are needed to help us get restful sleep. Have your physician order a blood test to see if you are low in those areas. If you are, you can choose foods high in these vitamins, such as leafy greens and fortified foods. You also could try an herbal formula or special supplement sold specifically to improve sleep. I don’t have specific products to recommend but do your research and check with your doctor before trying anything new.

I hope these tips are helpful to you. Sleep is SO important to our body, mind, and spirit. Prioritizing it will do wonders for your health, appearance, and ability to be a productive member of society! Sweet dreams!