8 ways to lay the Groundwork for Better Sleep

Introduction

Are you looking to establish a solid sleep routine but unsure where to begin? You're in the right place!

In our Sleep Tips Blog series, we’ll share practical, well-researched advice designed to improve your sleep and boost your overall quality of life. But before we dive into the tips, let’s first explore why sleep is so crucial for your health.

Table of Content

1. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule
2. Don't oversleep
3. Restrict your bedroom only for sleep, rest, and intimacy
4. Try the 20-minute rule if you can’t fall asleep
5. Keep a sleep diary
6. Invest in a better mattress and bedding
7. Keep your bedroom dark
8. Keep your bedroom comfortable and cool

Why is getting good sleep important for your health?

Getting good sleep is essential for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It allows your body to recover, repair tissues, and strengthen the immune system. Adequate sleep also supports brain function, enhancing memory, concentration and mood.

On the other hand, poor sleep, increases the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and, obesity, as well as adversely affects your mental health. Prioritizing good sleep is a powerful and effective key to maintaining overall health and live your life to the fullest.

Let’s get you started on your journey to the best sleep!

#1 Stick to a consistent sleep schedule

Setting a daily alarm for one hour before bedtime is an effective strategy to signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. By incorporating this practice into your routine, you can establish a consistent sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake up simultaneously every day. This consistency helps regulate your body’s internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, which plays a vital role in organizing sleep patterns and regulating organ functions.

Thus, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends, reinforces this internal clock, making you naturally crave sleep simultaneously each night. Furthermore, waking up at the same time every day is key to setting this schedule!

#2 Don’t oversleep

Not only is sleeping less harmful but sleeping more than necessary can also be damaging. If you are still exhausted during the day despite your regular sleep time exceeding nine hours, you may be oversleeping.

Sleeping too much disrupts yoursleep schedule and increases the risk of developing depression, obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

#3 Restrict your bedroom only for sleep, rest, and intimacy

Spending your leisure time (watching TV or working) in your bedroom, or worse, on your bed, might make it difficult to condition your body to see the bed as a place only to sleep.
It is because the brain forms an automatic association between our environment and how we feel. Engaging in such activities will confuse the brain about whether it should be sleepy or awake.

So try to keep activities in your bed limited strictly to sleep, rest, and intimacy to strongly associate sleep with bed in your brain. This approach will make you sleepy automatically as soon as you get into bed at night.

Thus, to create a more sleep-friendly environment, stay outside your bedroom or off your bed until about an hour before bedtime.

#4: Try the 20-minute rule if you can’t fall asleep

If you have been in bed for 15-20 minutes and still can't sleep, leave the bed and do something relaxing in low light, for example, solving Sudoku or stretching and meditation.

Return to bed only when you feel drowsy/sleepy- wait for the yawning, head-bobbing and eye-closing signals to know that it’s time to sleep. This will help your brain associate the bed with falling asleep quickly.

#5 Keep a sleep diary

A sleep diary helps you document your sleep quality, quantity, and the factors (such as food, caffeine intake, etc.) affecting your sleep. This diary will record your sleep time, wake-up time, how long it takes to fall asleep, the number and duration of sleep interruptions, and more. Even if you are testing a new sleep schedule, your sleep diary can help document how well it works.

Over time, a sleep diary can help you calculate your sleep time, evaluate your sleep need and quality, and identify factors or habits that can influence sleep quality. Additionally, it provides valuable insights for making necessary changes to improve your sleep quality. Maintaining a sleep diary is simple; you need to keep it in a convenient place and a pen to remind you to fill it out in the morning daily.

#6 Invest in a better mattress and bedding

An old mattress or one with sagging spots around the middle or edges can interfere with your sleep and cause you to wake up feeling stiff. Therefore, invest in a good supportive mattress as it improves sleep quality and ensures the spine has proper posture while sleeping.

Your sheets and blankets also play a major role in making you comfortable enough to relax. If you snore, using the correct pillow can align your head and neck to keep the airways open, reducing snoring and promoting proper breathing.

#7 Keep your bedroom dark

Darkness triggers melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleepiness. Darkness also helps regulate your sleep cycle and increases the quality of your sleep. Excess light exposure before bedtime disrupts the circadian rhythm and the ability to sleep.

Try to avoid bright light before bedtime so that your body can produce enough melatonin to promote better sleep. To minimize light exposure, try purchasing black-out curtains for your bedroom’s window; these curtains are made from thick, opaque fabric that blocks out any light coming from outside. You can also wear an eye mask for more restful sleep.

#8 Keep your bedroom comfortable and cool

Temperature plays a crucial role in both your ability to fall asleep and the overall quality of your sleep. Your body’s core temperature naturally drops during sleep, so maintaining a room temperature that supports this cooling process can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep through the night.

While the ideal temperature may vary from person to person, most research suggests that a cooler room between 22-24°C (71-75°F) is optimal for restful sleep. Be mindful not to get too hot or too cold at night to ensure you enjoy a comfortable and uninterrupted sleep.

Conclusion

You now have the tools to start laying the groundwork for better sleep. Establishing a solid sleep routine does not happen overnight, but with consistent effort, the benefits are well worth it. By taking such small, proactive steps, you will be gradually building the foundation for better sleep that will transforms your days.

Start today, and soon you’ll notice the positive effects of better sleep on your energy, mood, and productivity. Sweet dreams are just ahead!
Need more such tips? Check out our other blogs in this series for more expert advice.

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