10 Tips for a better night sleep
If you get tired,
learn to rest,
not to quit.
- Banksy
A healthy night sleep is crucial for a functioning and productive mind. Experts say an appropriate amount of sleep per night for an average adult is between 7 to 9 hours. Even though this is a commonly known fact, especially young adults tend to sleep less for a variety of reasons like a cluttered mind, stress, anxiety or simply staying on social media on their phones for hours into the night. That can be very problematic for health and performance at work or school, especially because those affected oftentimes try to counterbalance tiredness with crazy amounts of coffee or energy drinks.
To boost your productivity level with a daily dose of healthy rest I created a list of 10 highly effective tips on how to get a better and deeper night sleep.
In the twilight woods of wishes,
dreams rest their weary souls.
- Angie Weiland-Crosby
Try to keep up a regular schedule
For most people this should be the easiest way to maintain good sleeping habits. It is simple human nature to go to bed once the sun goes down and wake up when the sun rises above the horizon - of course it is almost impossible to actually rise and rest with the sun and moon nowadays (especially in the dark winter days), but it is more about being consistent with your hours than the kind of hours you choose. See, when you start to go to bed at 10pm everyday for two weeks your body begins to notice “sleepy time” on its own. You get tired and fall asleep much faster, because it appears to be “natural” for your body. Irregular bed-times tend to confuse body and mind and make it a lot harder to fall into a REM-Phase (=Rapid Eye Movement, which is the time in your sleep in which you are most likely to dream) or to fall asleep at all. Same thing goes for waking up: If you try to wake up at the same time everyday, your body gets used to it, getting up will be much easier in the morning and you hitting the snooze-button will be a lot less likely.
Don’t use electronic devices right before bed
Try to turn off all kinds of electronics an hour before you go to bed, or at least set it on night shift to filter out the blue light. The best way to wind down is to charge your devices in another room if you do so over night. In case you need your phone for the alarm in the morning, place it some where across the room preferably at least 1,5 meters away from your bed and in silent mode so your precious sleep won’t be disturbed. Don’t worry- the world won’t stop spinning if you don’t answer a text right away in the middle of the night. This is about you and sometimes it is healthy to take care of yourself first, the rest has time until the next morning.
Read a book or poetry
Now you might be wondering what else there is to do if you aren't advised to be on your phone, watch TV, Netflix, YouTube & Co. And you have probably already guessed it by the title: Read a book to spend the last hour of your day. Use it not only to clam down after a busy or exhausting day, but maybe to learn something new of your interest, or dive into another universe to get some space from the real world. If you are the kind of person who gets really invested in a story and is simply unable to lay down a book mid-chapter, or finding themselves laying awake for hours thinking about if a Lizzy Bennet could possibly ever get over her prejudice, maybe a poetry book is more for you than a novel. And to not exclude any kind of person here, how can I not mention the option of an audio book in case reading is just not for you. There are countless options to listen to an audiobook nowadays like CDs, Audible, Spotify, etc. I am sure you will find the right fit for you.
Journal
If you are anything like me, sometimes you lay in bed and your brain just doesn't want to shut up. You are awake for hours thinking about all the things you still have to get done the next day. Suddenly you remind yourself of something stupid you once said in kindergarten, or you are simply overthinking a tiny moment of your day. Taking a moment before going to bed and writing down all your thoughts and worries is a great way to brain dump and release all the tension you have build up over the last couple of hours. Once you put down that pen and close those pages you can finally let go of everything that might have bothered you later on while trying to fall asleep. BTW- This is also the perfect time to end the day on a positive note and with a smile on your lips: Think about one little (or big) thing you are grateful for at that moment or in your day.
Have some Tea
Drink a lovely cup of calming tea, preferably something like camomile, lavender, peppermint or any sleep-supporting blends. The warmth and smells of the hot tea and its herbs helps calm the mind and soul. Keep in mind not to have black tea or any blends which contain caffeine and also avoid drinking coffee in the evenings/ late afternoons (of course also make sure you are not allergic to anything you consume and talk to your doctor if you are unsure or take medication).
Fresh air
This is very german of me to point out, but it is just so important, healthy and soothing: Make sure to always have fresh air in your bedroom before getting under those sheets. Not only is it healthy for your houseplants, pets and brain to get fresh oxygen, it also cools down the temperature of your room which tells your body it is now night and time to fall asleep. Personally, I love to close the window after a good five minutes and get comfy under my thick blanket. If you are as sensitive as me, don’t keep the window open all night though or you might catch a cold - you should be safe with five to ten minutes though.
Experiment with calming scents
Aroma therapy can be very helpful with getting a good night sleep. You can use candles (only burn supervised), essential oils in an oil defuser or a simple lavender pillow. There are so many options and with a little research and trial and error you will find the right one for you. I always prefer to keep a clean scent with freshly washed sheets and a little lavender bag next to my pillow.
Don’t go to bed angry
This is a rule I cherish very much in my life. I can never go to bed at a loved one. It is normal for family, friends or partners to fight and not all of those fights will be solved over night, but if possibly try to sit down in a safe environment and talk about it. Try to understand the opposite opinion and ask the other person to try the same. You might not find a solution right away, but at least tell each other how you feel and that you are both willing on working on it. Oftentimes that is enough to not be angry but smart about the situation. Don’t give a little fight the power to deprive you of your time to rest.
Sound control
Every person likes to sleep differently. Some people need absolute silence and prefer to sleep with earplugs. Others like to listen to the sound of nature or even some classical music. Try different soothing sounds and playlists to find the right way for you. If none of those options speak to you, you might want to try sound frequencies like white noice to help you fall asleep. You can find all of those on platforms like YouTube or Spotify.
light control
Light preferences change depending on the season of the year for me. In summer I like to keep my blinds open to be woken by the soft morning sun. In the colder, rainier months I prefer putting on a sleeping mask to keep my room extra dark. This also helped me a lot when I was working night shifts as a nurse and I needed to sleep during the day.
Disclaimer: These are just recommendations. This is in no means medical advice. If you have serious sleeping problems, or any other issues like anxiety, depression, etc. please seek medical attention. Before using any products or medication consult with your doctor or supervisor. Stay safe always, thank you. -L