When was the last time that you fell asleep with ease and woke up feeling completely refreshed? Chances are it’s been since sometime in March. If you’re suddenly having difficulty sleeping, you’re not alone. Continue reading to learn 10 ways to help you get a better night’s sleep.
The current pandemic is taking a toll on us, but only if we let it. According to Today, “As social distancing guidelines stay in effect around the country and we continue to spend more time at home to slow the spread of the coronavirus, many people are saying they’re having more trouble sleeping and are experiencing more vivid dreams than usual.” Adequate sleep is vital to your overall health and well-being.
Check out this great video about sleep with Dr. Deedra Mason! Dr. Deedra, Director of Clinical Education & Research with the nutraMetrix Educational Institute, provides a thorough overview on the benefits of good sleep habits.
One HUGE thing I learned from watching this video is just HOW IMPORTANT sleep really is. Dr. Deedra says when working with new clients to help improve diets and overall health, she will always start with sleep first.
Also, Dr. Deedra talks about how important it is to listen to your body. DO NOT stay up past the initial signal that your body gives you that you’re tired.
REMEMBER: The goal is restorative sleep, which doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping a certain number of hours.
HERE ARE THE 10 WAYS TO GET A BETTER NIGHT SLEEP:
1. Establish a nighttime routine: We know how important a nighttime routine can be for babies and kids but it’s just as important for adults as well. Providing your body with certain cues that it’s time to relax and prepare for sleep sets up night after night for better sleep success. Looking for some helpful ideas to incorporate in your nighttime routine? READ ON!
2. Avoid heavy meals late at night: According to Altus Hospital, eating late at night caused people to gain weight due to the reduction of the body’s ability to burn fat. Participants in their study ended up storing carbohydrates – which also leads to weight gain and high blood sugar and insulin levels. Instead select healthier before bed snacking options like a handful of nuts, an apple, sugar free Greek yogurt or air popped popcorn.
3. Avoid bright screens prior to bedtime: This is a tip that most of us are probably aware of but it’s important to take note of any items in your room that cause extra light and potential sleep disruption. Things like your TV screen, light from your electronics -cellphones, tablets, computers-, alarm clocks with a bright digital display, light from street lights outside filtering into your room. One solution that I have found that really works well for me is a sleep mask to help create the blackout effect and better prepare your body for sleep.
4. Stick to a daily schedule, especially during the stay at home: Having a consistent schedule or routine during the day helps your body to prepare and understand when it’s night time and thus time to relax, settle in and sleep. Of course that’s easier said then done.
It’s really challenging to find time for everything needed to be accomplished and to keep it all to a schedule that stays consistent. But having a guide or a daily schedule sheet that you can plan out either the night before or the morning of might help you stay on task.
I’ve started including the kids in the daily schedule to get their input on when, for them, is a better time of day to complete their school work, get chores done and do showers or baths. Check out the daily schedule that I use! I insert this into a sheet protector in my binder with other items I’m tracking (chore list, calendar, food menu) so that I can print it once and reuse it over and over.
And if you’re looking for a great way to organize your cleaning checklist, check out my Daily & Weekly Chore Schedule!
5. Exercise during the day: We all know how important exercise is for overall health but it can also impact your quality of sleep. According to John Hopkins Medicine, “we have solid evidence that exercise does, in fact, help you fall asleep more quickly and improves sleep quality.” It was also found that “moderate aerobic exercise [like walking] increases the amount of slow wave sleep you get. Slow wave sleep refers to deep sleep, where the brain and body have a chance to rejuvenate. Exercise can also help to stabilize your mood and decompress the mind”.
Don’t feel that means you have to start running every day or join some sort of elaborate gym or club. Just doing some sort of CONSISTENT physical activity everyday to move your body is more beneficial than trying to do a vigorous workout all the time.
Try walking or riding a bike; go for a light jog or roller blading; kick the soccer ball around with the kids or try some tennis. And don’t forget to stretch- maybe even try some yoga. Anything that moves your body that you can feel excited about doing. I also like to incorporate videos in my workout so that on days when I just have 10-15-20 minutes, I can still fit in a workout right from home. I really like using videos by “Denise Austin” as well as “Sarabeth Yoga”, both of which can be found on YouTube.
Make sure you have a good set of weights, stretch bands and an exercise mat and you are good to go!
6. Keep your bedroom cool: When lying in bed trying to snooze, your body temperature decreases to initiate sleep and keeping your bedroom between 60 and 67 degrees can actually help facilitate this.
From Sleepfoundation.org, “During the course of a normal day, your body temperature rises and falls slightly. This pattern is tied to your sleep cycle. As you become drowsy, your temperature goes down, reaches its lowest level around 5:00 a.m., and climbs slightly as morning begins. This is why the air in your room can affect the quality of your sleep: if it’s too hot, it may interfere with your body’s natural dip and make you more restless through the night. In fact, studies indicate that some forms of insomnia are associated with an improper regulation in body temperature.”
7. Try deep breathing exercises when you first lay down: Not only is deep breathing beneficial for sleep, it also helps reduce anxiety. Deep breathing lowers your heart rate very quickly and lowers the anxiety that’s associated with a higher heart rate.
Ever heard of the 4-7-8 breathing technique? This technique involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds and exhaling for 8 seconds. Click here to read more about this technique, how to do it and a few recommendations before you get started.
If you’re looking for some additional sleep support, here are 3 of my favorite products to help you get the sleep you deserve. Click each product name for a full description and complete list of ingredients, benefits, FAQs and testimonials.
Prime Dreamz™
- Helps promote the deep, restful third and fourth stages of sleep
- May improve sleep quality
- May have calming properties to help you relax
- May help you relax
- Sleep deprivation can accelerate the aging process
- Adequate and quality sleep can help to prolong the aging process
- May help to stabilize mood
Isotonix Essentials® Turn Down
- Helps enhance and stabilize mood
- May promote calmness and relaxation
- Supports healthy sleep quality
- Promotes sleep
- Assists in releasing mental tension
- Helps to clear the mind
Isotonix® Magnesium
- Promotes head comfort
- Promotes optimal muscle health and comfort
- Helps maintain normal blood sugar levels
- Supports a healthy sleep quality
Now that you’re feeling well rested and ready for a new day, check out my Morning Routine checklist that has helped me to organize my morning and help start my day off right!
