5 Practical Steps To Improve Sleep
A good night’s sleep is essential for your physical and mental health, as well as your general well-being. However, many of us live stressful and hectic lives which often impact negatively the quality of our sleep.
We go to bed feeling stressed and overwhelmed, and our sleep reflects this.
If this is your case, and you could do with a little sleep improvement, don’t worry. There are simple and practical steps that you can put into action in your everyday life that will improve the quality of your sleep and help you get a good night’s sleep.
So let’s see what habits you can incorporate into your daily routine to improve your sleep.
5 practical steps to Improve Sleep
1. Create a relaxing bedtime routine
Creating a relaxing bedtime routine that sets the tone right and helps you switch off and wind down before going to bed is an excellent way to prepare both your mind and body for sleep. After all, the way you end your days impacts the quality of your sleep.
A successful sleep routine will help you release tension and let go of the day, as well as find inner peace and come back to yourself in the evening, so that you can feel relaxed and peaceful by the time you go to bed.
See: 5 Simple Steps To Create A Calming Bedtime Routine
2. An Optimal Sleeping environment
An optimal sleeping environment is just as vital as releasing stress and tension before going to bed. The space where you sleep influences directly the overall quality of your rest.
For a comfortable and cozy sleeping environment, you want to keep your room dark (or at least try to avoid unnatural light exposure as it perturbs your sleep and inner clock), and cool (too hot or too cold and you won’t sleep comfortably). Also, try to have a tidy room. You’ll sleep more comfortably in a tidy room than in a messy one.
3. No screens before bed
Avoid screens before bed (30 minutes beforehand at least). Screens emit blue light, which perturbs sleep and melanin secretion.
So try to turn off your electronics: TV, computer, phone, etc…. at least 30 minutes before bed (but preferably 1 or 2 hours). And use this time instead for calming and soothing activities that will help slow down your mind and body, and connect to your inner self so that you feel relaxed and peaceful by the time you go to sleep.
4. Moving during THE day
Moving during the day is crucial, and not only for your physical self-care. If you’re active during your day, you’ll be more exhausted by the time you go to bed, and this will directly influence your good night’s sleep.
You don’t have to aim for high-intensity workouts. Just going for a walk, taking the stairs instead of the escalators, or even parking farther away from your office or the shop will help.
The key to keeping it simple and achievable is to sneak just a bit of activity here and there over your day – and this will do the trick.
See: 5 Practical Steps To Be More Active During Your Day
5. Eat hours before bed and avoid caffeine
The way you eat dinner influences your sleep quality directly.
Eating hours (at least 2) before bed will help improve your sleep, especially if you have digestion issues, by ensuring that you’re not going to bed with a heavy and upset stomach. For dinner, you may want to try and avoid large and heavy meals, opting instead for something lighter, which is easier to digest, so that your stomach will be settled by the time you go to bed.
Also, try to avoid caffeine for at least 5 hours before bed so that it won’t keep you awake as you try to fall asleep.
However, everybody is different, so try it for yourself and see what food regimen works best for you.
Bottom Line
A regular good night’s sleep plays a crucial part in your physical and mental health, as well as your general well-being. So if you often go to bed feeling stressed and overwhelmed, there are simple and practical habits that are easy to add to your everyday self-care routine that will help improve the quality of your sleep.
Simply by avoiding more stress and focusing on releasing tension, letting go of your day, and finding inner peace before going to bed, you can improve your bedtime routine and hope for a good night’s sleep.
And if you’re interested in the other 5 key habits of physical self-care, here they are: Physical Self-Care: The 5 Key Habits
So that’s it.
If you have any advice, tips, or tricks to help with good quality sleep, please do not hesitate to share them in the comments.
I hope you have a joyful day or night. And remember to take care and be kind to yourself. You deserve it.