Getting little to no sleep or sleeping poorly takes a toll. Many, if not most of us know how it goes: instead of easing into slumber we toss and turn, staring up at the ceiling, hashing over all we did not get done or will have to face in the morning. And life gets in the way — a newborn, a dog with an itch, a cat walking over your head, a late night out with friends. Sleep is as essential as food and water, though we often neglect prioritizing healthy sleep, instead putting it on the back burner until the toll is too severe.
Research shows that getting good sleep, and enough of it at the right times, is vital for our health (mental and physical), our quality of life, and even our safety. Too little sleep is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart and kidney diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression.
There are steps you can take to ease more reliably into sleep. Here are tips to up your ZZ’s.
Make your bedroom as dark and cool as possible.
The ideal sleep temperature is 62 to 68 degrees. Your bedroom should feel chilly; use as many blankets as you want but be sure to keep the room temp on the cool side.
Use blackout shades or curtains, cover up any lights from electronics, or use an eye mask. Contoured eye masks are good if you have sensitive or dry eyes.
Get direct morning sunlight for at least 10 minutes.
Getting bright light first thing in the morning reinforces the body’s natural circadian rhythm, balancing important neurochemicals that will energize you in the morning (norepinephrine) and help you sleep at night (melatonin). Ten minutes of direct morning sunlight on a bright day will do the trick. (If it's overcast, shoot for 20 to 30 minutes.) In general, the more sunlight you get before noon, the better your sleep will be.
You can also use a bright therapy light to help maintain your circadian rhythm; use it first thing in the morning, just as if you were out in sunlight. Look for a 10,000 lux, full spectrum light; you will find inexpensive options online.
Do not eat for at least two to three hours before going to bed.
Eating revs up the digestive system and putting it to work right before going to bed interferes with the body's natural sleep rhythms. You will sleep better if you eat a last meal or snack two to three hours before going to bed.
Alcohol can make us feel sleepy, but it is not our friend through the night — even a single drink can lead to restlessness, and you might find yourself awake again at 2 a.m. If you do drink alcohol, have the last drink at least 6 hours before heading to bed.
No caffeine after noon.
Caffeine leaves the body slowly; that cup you had at breakfast does not fully clear your system for 12 or more hours. Caffeine does offer health and brain benefits so if you enjoy the kick, there is no need to hold back if it is not interrupting sleep. Aim to have your last cup before noon and consider cutting caffeine altogether if you struggle with sleep.
Move in the morning (and throughout the day).
Move your body often throughout the day — ideally in ways that bring you joy! — and avoid strenuous exercise 4 hours before bed.
Avoid screens and lower the lights 1 to 2 hours before bed.
If you need to be on a screen, use blue-light blocking glasses (the kind with the dark orange/red tint) and ignore comments about how ridiculous they look!
Keep the morning wake-up time as consistent as possible.
Waking up at approximately the same time every day, even on weekends, helps regulate your circadian rhythm and trains sleep-inducing neurochemicals to fire off at the right time every day.
If you're still with me, here’s a few additional bonus tips.
Create a shutdown ritual to mark the end of the day.
Pick a time you want to stop working (at your desk, around the house, kids’ homework, or training the dog) and create a ritual to help relax several hours before bed. Think about activities that help you slow down — reading, listening to music, doing gentle stretches, pet cuddling. Build your personal ritual. Some families foster rituals that can be done together. Experiment, and create ways to slow down that work for you.
Try a white noise machine.
White noise machines drown out ambient noise. Many machines can be set to sounds of rain or wind, music, or true white noise that cancels out other noises. It might take a night or two to get used to using one, then you won't want to sleep without it. (I’ve had one for years.)
Consider meditation.
Meditation can calm a tense body, relax a busy mind, and boost one’s energy and outlook. If you have never meditated before, I recommend Insight Timer, a free app that has good meditation options, including options created specifically for sleep.
Take a bath with Epsom salt about an hour before bedtime.
When falling asleep, your body naturally cools itself by about a degree. Taking a hot bath will raise body temperature and kickstart the cooling process.
Try herbal teas.
A cup of warm herbal tea can be soothing, and some contain herbs that promote relaxation and sleep. Two of my favorites are Nighty Night Extra Valerian Root tea and Soothing Caramel Bedtime Chamomile.
Use an acupressure mat.
Acupressure mats stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and create deep relaxation. Lie on it for about 30 (or more) minutes before bed.
If you continue having problems sleeping and are fighting daytime fatigue, talk to a medical provider to determine if you have an underlying health condition that might be getting in the way. A host of things can affect sleep, including food sensitivities, thyroid problems, menopause and some hormonal conditions, sleep apnea, chronic pain, or mental health issues.
Here’s to improving bedtime, my favorite time of day! Sleep well.
Mary Daniel is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach dedicated to the pursuit of good health for everyone. Through her business, Your One Precious Life, she partners with clients and communities and in the spirit of collaboration, paves the way for health transformations.
Interested in a free health consultation? Visit: www.youronepreciouslife.com or email mary@youronepreciouslife.com.
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