Sleep is essential. There is no argument there. Those hours of rest allow the mind and body to recharge. When you run on little to no sleep you can have a hard time with focus, alertness, and retention. Not every night will entail that you drift away easily into a magical dreamworld. But there are things you can change in your routine to assist in getting better quality sleep at night.
What you do throughout the day can impact your sleep. Studies show that having caffeine after 3pm or indulging in a “night cap” can negatively affect your sleep. These beverages can disrupt your regular bedtime and quality of sleep.
If you struggle to fall asleep and find yourself wide awake after 20-30 minutes, try getting out of bed. Pick up a book, work on a puzzle, or do something that requires little light to get your mind and body ready for sleep.
Common tips across research articles on how to get better sleep:
Try creating a peaceful bedroom environment
Develop a bedtime routine and stick with it
Limit electronic devices right before bed
Put together small afterwork to-do lists. Don’t over do it.
One way to wind down at night is to do some stretches or you can even try some yoga before bed. There are quite a few yoga videos out there geared towards bedtime that allow your attention to focus on calming down and getting ready for a good night’s rest. Some are geared towards kids specifically and others are out there for adults. Try a 5-15 minute practice and see how you feel after.
If you are having trouble sleeping, try keeping a sleep diary. This will allow you to monitor what is going on and provide a tangible resource you can take to your doctor for concerns. The sleep diary could show signs of health problems you were not aware of. Suffering from sleep disturbances or sleep disorders, like insomnia will require more than just changing your habits.