According to the CDC, one-third of adults need more sleep. It’s recommended that every person get between seven and nine hours of good, quality sleep every night for optimal health benefits. But most people don’t get that.
There are many reasons that people don’t achieve regular, good sleep and it can be so frustrating. The good news is, most of the problems are easily fixed and you can start getting those long stretches of rest which will boost your overall wellness in a short period of time.
We’ve compiled a list of our top six tips to sleep better to help you get on the right track.
- Create the Right Environment
An easy way to sleep better at night naturally is to create the right environment. Your surroundings play a big role in how well your body is able to rest and fall asleep.
One of the most important factors in creating a good sleep environment is making it as dark as possible. Light signals to your brain that it should be awake and alert, which is counterintuitive to sleeping. Most people turn off the overhead lights or lamps but forget about small sources of light like an alarm clock or wifi router. Eliminating even the smallest light can make a big difference.
People often have a similar reaction to sounds as well, eliminating the bigger, more obvious noises but forgetting about smaller ones. Adding in white noise sounds can cover those small, disrupting sounds altogether.
Creating a calm, relaxing environment sets the tone for you to fall asleep quickly.
- Take the Time to Unwind
For most people, going to sleep isn’t an instantaneous process (even though that might be nice on occasion). Instead, it takes some time to be able to fully relax and fall asleep.
Giving yourself time to unwind and get ready for sleep before your actual desired bedtime can increase the amount of sleep you get significantly. A bedtime routine that you perform every day gives you an easy structure to follow that allows you that relaxing time.
Some things that are known to help calm the body are turning off screens, a warm bath, listening to calming music, or drinking a warm beverage. Whatever activities you decide will work best for you, it’s important to remember to start them early and not when you want to be asleep already.
- Invest in High-Quality Sleeping Tools
It’s really difficult to learn how to sleep instantly if you can’t get comfortable. When you feel comfortable, you can relax easier and won’t have all the added tension built up.
One of the biggest ways to get more comfortable is to invest in higher-quality items for sleeping. That would include a mattress, bedding, and even your pajamas. Each of those has a unique contribution to your ability to get good sleep and you want to find the combination that works best for you.
A good mattress is the most important tool and a bad one can actually cause you a lot of pain. Spending a little more initially will help you greatly in the long run when you can get a good night’s rest.
- Healthier Choices Through the Day
Believe it or not, what you do during the day has a big impact on how well you can sleep at night. Making healthy, intentional choices sets your body up for success when trying to get a good night’s sleep.
Being active throughout the day and getting your daily exercise helps your body be tired enough to fall asleep. Eating healthy, unprocessed foods is easier for your body to process and helps you avoid those digestive problems that can keep you up at night. Avoiding extra sugar and caffeine late at night keeps you from not being able to fall asleep.
Living a healthy lifestyle eliminates a lot of the roadblocks that keep people from sleeping well each night.
- Add-in a Sleep Aid
Sometimes there’s just no way you’re going to get a good night’s sleep, even if you do everything right to get yourself there. This happens for a variety of reasons but often a sleep-aid can push you to the rest you need.
There are a lot of different options for sleep aids but most people like to start with melatonin vitamins. Melatonin is what the body produces to induce sleep, so this is a great natural way to improve your ability to sleep. There’s no risk and many people feel comfortable adding these vitamins into their bedtime routine.
If melatonin isn’t enough to help you get to sleep, you can work with your doctor to get a prescription-strength sleep-aid. Using a sleep aid can sometimes fix problems the body is having, so then it can get the rest it needs without the help of the medication.
- Be Consistent
The most important tip to getting better sleep is to be consistent. One day or night of good habits isn’t enough to get your body to have regular good sleep.
Each time you practice these good habits, your body builds up a memory of what it’s supposed to do. That makes it easier to fall asleep and get the restful sleep you need. A great place to start adding in some consistency is with the actual time you’re going to bed.
And the more consistent you are getting good sleep, the more health benefits you will see.
Best Tips to Sleep Better
Getting enough sleep can have an impact on every area of your life, which is why it’s worth it to try these tips to sleep better. A good sleep routine that helps you get your full night’s rest is priceless.
There are a lot of ways to customize your sleep routine to work best for you. Take the time to try different options and give yourself the tools for good sleep.
If you’re interested in learning more ways to improve your health and make your life easier, check out our other articles today!