7 Tips to Help You Sleep Soundly at Night

Did you know that up to 33% of adults struggle with getting to sleep at night?

If you’re one of the one in three people who aren’t sleeping soundly, you’re tired of being tired. Thankfully, you can take simple steps to get the better sleep you crave.

We’ve collected the best sleeping tips from scientific sources. Keep reading — by the end of this article, you’ll learn to love bedtime again!

1. Create a Nighttime Routine

Research has long since proved that a bedtime routine significantly helps young children get to sleep faster and stay asleep. However, adults can also benefit from having an established, predictable bedtime routine to help them wind down for the night.

A nighttime routine helps you make the psychological shift from daytime busyness to nighttime rest. It tells your brain to start shutting down, so you can get ready to sleep.

Your sleep routine should include:

• Going to bed at the same time every night
• A small, light snack to avoid feeling hungry at night
• Dimming the lights
• Soothing sensory experiences, like a warm drink, a bath, or soft music
• A relaxing activity, like reading or stretching
• Wrapping up the day’s activities so you don’t keep thinking about them after you go to bed

Make sure you start your routine at the same time every night, too. This helps your body adjust so that you can get to sleep faster. Try setting an alarm on your phone to let you know it’s time to start your bedtime routine.

2. Create a Low-Stimulation Environment

Because light is closely tied to our natural circadian rhythm, having bright lights on tells your brain, “It’s time to wake up!” Similarly, sounds stimulate our brains and keep us alert.

To get a better sleep, turn off the bright lights and avoid loud sounds. If you have to, invest in a sleep mask, earplugs, or light-blocking curtains.

3. Avoid Screens Before Bedtime

Taking your phone to bed can destroy your sleep. Research shows that having access to screens before and at bedtime results in:

• Not getting enough sleep
• Getting poorer quality of sleep
• Being drowsy throughout the day

Instead, keep a good book next to your bed. Reading relaxes your brain and supports good sleep.

4. Get Exercise During the Day

Exercise gives you better sleep in multiple ways. First, it releases tension and relaxes your body, making you more drowsy at bedtime.

It can also reduce feelings of stress and anxiety which can keep you up at night. People who exercise frequently are also at less risk for sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea.

Some sleep experts caution that you shouldn’t exercise less than three hours before bedtime because the stimulation of exercise can keep you awake. However, new evidence suggests that some people sleep well when they include exercise in their bedtime routine. However you do it, get your daily sweat in so that you can get your nightly zzz’s!

5. Avoid Stimulating Foods

Even if you have a high caffeine tolerance, ingesting caffeine before bed will impair your sleep somewhat.

Coffee, tea, and energy drinks are the big caffeine culprits in our lives. However, caffeine can hide in other foods, like chewing gum, chocolate foods, and other beverages. Even sodas and green tea can keep you from sleeping at night!

Eating a big meal right before bedtime can also make it hard to fall asleep. Big meals stretch your stomach, causing discomfort that can keep you awake or impair your sleep quality.

6. Use a Cannabis-Based Sleep Aid

Cannabis-derived products offer a whole range of relaxing and therapeutic benefits. With the right dosage, they’re a powerful yet gentle way to support better sleep.

The problem is that there are so many products out there that it’s difficult to know where to start. The key is finding a good ratio of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the cannabinoid responsible for the “high” effect, while CBD relaxes without causing a high.

Try a tasty product with a 1 1 thc cbd ratio. It’s a great balance of cannabinoid types to include in your bedtime routine.

7. Practice Mindfulness Before Bed

Insomnia and anxiety have a chicken-or-egg relationship. Anxiety and depression lead to poor sleep. In turn, chronic poor sleep causes frequent mental distress.

If anxiety-driven thoughts are keeping you from sleeping at night, practicing mindfulness can help. With these techniques, you can intentionally lay your intrusive worries to rest so they don’t keep you up all night.

Great bedtime mindfulness techniques include:

• Meditation (you can meditate on a word, phrase, or image)
• Silent prayer
• Journaling
• Mindful breathing
• Guided meditation videos
• Listening to a calming nature soundtrack

Including a regular mindfulness practice in your nighttime routine can help you get to sleep faster and prevent poor sleep.

Sleep Soundly Every Night

With so many demands on our time, many of us fail to prioritize good sleep. However, when you’re not sleeping soundly, every other area of your life suffers as well. It’s time to make sleep a priority.

Don’t keep lying awake. Put these tips into action and get back to sleep. You’ll wake up feeling rested and amazed at your energy and emotional calm.

Are you ready to stop putting your health on the back burner? If so, keep clicking through our blog. You’ll find more articles like this on lifestyle hygiene, personal health, and the simple changes you can make in order to live your best life.