There is nothing worse than not being able to get to sleep at night. Many of us experience the inability to get to sleep. Tossing and turning, unable to get comfortable, or actually drift off to sleep at all. If you regularly find yourself horizontal, worried about falling asleep, read on for seven great tips for sleeping better at night!
Why Is Sleep Important?
Many of us undervalue sleep, and it’s easy to see why! Sleep should, in theory, take up one-third of our entire lives! It’s easy to prefer valuing the time we spend awake over the time we spend asleep. But sleep is very important. Our body does amazing things when we sleep; it heals, our brains sort through the day’s information; it prepares us for the next day.
Do I Get Enough Sleep?
There have been many studies on the importance of sleep. However, many of us still aren’t getting enough. As an adult, the recommended amount is a minimum of 7 hours. The good folks over at https://sleepauthorities.com/ say that “Unfortunately, only 65.2% of adults (18-60) in the USA hit the recommended 7 hours.” It seems, then, that many of us need some advice on how to get better sleep!
The 7 Bedroom Tips:
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Keep It Dark
This may seem simple, but it is definitely an essential first step. Your body has a natural sleep-inducing system. When a room is light (either through natural light or electrical light), your body produces more cortisol, raising your temperature and initiating the awakened state. When darkness falls, melatonin is released, which helps you drift off to sleep. Keep the room dark to encourage your brain to start the sleep process!
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Get Rid Of Electronics!
A step that some may find challenging, we think! There is mounting evidence to show that exposure to blue light from smartphones, TVs, and laptops delays melatonin release and causes the inability to fall asleep. Putting your electronic devices away one hour before bedtime is recommended, and even better than that, don’t take them into the bedroom at all! The temptation to browse the online world through the night should be removed completely.
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A New Mattress?
How long have you had your mattress? Do you even know?! Many studies suggest that mattresses should be replaced every 5-7 years, or when they become uncomfortable. However, many of us won’t notice a slight degrading in comfortability over time.
So best to keep track of the 5-7 years! A less comfortable mattress can cause shoulder, back, and neck problems leading to painful or stressful hours in bed trying to drift off. If you are noticing these aches at night or first thing in the morning, it could well be time for a new mattress. So you might be asking yourself, what mattress is best for back pain? Mattresses have come a long way in recent years, so be sure to do plenty of research to see what’s out there and find the right fit for you.
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Cool Down
What could be better than snuggling down into a nice, cozy, warm bed in the middle of winter? Nothing, right? Wrong!
Though that sounds wonderful, recent studies actually show that we need to be cooler for more comfortable sleep. The ideal temperature is between 60-72 Fahrenheit. Turn the heating down, crack some windows, and keep your bedroom cool!
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Remove That Clock!
“Last time I checked the clock, it was about 4 AM!” Sound familiar? The simple act of removing the clock from your bedroom may save you hours of restlessness. Constantly checking the time can lead to sleep anxiety and panic, causing night after night of lost sleep. Try removing it for one week, or placing it somewhere you can’t see (if you still need it for an alarm) and see if there is an improvement.
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Keep It Free Of Work
Sleep studies show that doing anything work-related in bed creates problems sleeping. Your bedroom should be kept as a place of rest, and nothing else. If you keep studying or working from your bed, your brain may begin associating that space with stress and concentration, rather than sleep and rest.
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Get Some Sleep Tech
There are now many companies offering sleep techs such as headphones, headbands, and more for sleep aids. Most will play relaxing sounds or change the light in the room to aid natural sleep cycles. Simple things such as a white noise machine or the sound of a standard electric desk fan have also been shown to help sleep.
There are many other small things you can do to improve your bedroom environment for optimal sleep, but we think these are surely the top 7. Try them all out over a few weeks’ time and see which work for you. You will almost undoubtedly find one or two which make massive improvements for you!
