If you’re like me, your head will hit the pillow but you’ll end up lying wide awake for quite a while before you clock out. Even if you’re not like me, you can still find out how to sleep better, especially since sleep is one of the three cornerstones to living a healthy life, in addition to diet and exercise. With these tips and tricks, you’ll be getting more beauty sleep in no time, without relying on any chemicals or pills.
How to Sleep Better
1. Make Sure You’re Getting Enough Magnesium
A majority of people are deficient of this and aren’t even aware of it, but this can affect your sleep. Take 250 milligrams of magnesium 30 minutes to an hour before you go to sleep. Although, be careful not to take too much or you’ll have loose bowels, which will instead keep you awake all night. That is not something you want.
2. Have a Consistent Sleep Routine
Make it a habit to wind down, go to sleep, and wake up at the same time everyday. I know it’s hard, but yes, this includes the weekends. Maintaining a sleep cycle makes getting better sleep a smooth and easy process.
3. Avoid Caffeine
Everyone needs their daily dose of caffeine and I’m no different. However, it’s best if you don’t consume any caffeine after 1 p.m. or earlier, if possible. Caffeine has a half life of three to five hours. The half life of caffeine is the time it takes for your body to eliminate one half of the caffeine you consumed. After the half life, the rest of the caffeine stays in your system for hours, which will definitely not help you get better sleep. Also, try your best to not have more than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day.
4. Get Your Daily Dose of Sunlight
Try your best to get 30 minutes of sunlight a day. You don’t want to be exposed for too long, but sunlight increases the levels of serotonin in your brain, also known as the happy chemical, and this will help encourage the production of melatonin, the sleep chemical, throughout the night.
5. Reduce Your Stress and Wind Down
What I’m asking you to do is practically impossible, but try your hardest to reduce your stress. Whether that’s reading a book, taking a bath, exercising, listening to music, or meditating, which help your body and brain relax before bedtime. Another method you can try is to take out a notebook and jot down all the things you need to do and all of your stressors before you go to sleep so that you don’t worry about trying to remember everything that needs to be done the next day. Plus, writing down all of your problems onto paper helps reduce your stress.
6. Get Rid of Artificial Light Before Bed
At least an hour before bedtime, get rid of any artificial light. This means your TV, tablet, computer, phone, any digital screen, and any artificial light that may be coming in through your alarm clock or windows. The blue light from these devices affects the levels of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin, more than any other wavelength, which will prevent you from getting better sleep. Instead, try reading a physical paper book or magazine.
7. Keep Your Room Cool
Keep your bedroom under 70 °F. However, closer to 65 °F is better. You’ll have a harder time sleeping if your room is stuffy and hot.
8. Try a White Noise Machine
There are countless noises that can disturb your sleep without you even realizing it. Car or truck noises, a snoring family member or pet, wind, rain, dripping faucets, TV sounds from people in your house who are still awake, etc. You’ll be less likely to hear these distractions if you use a fan or white noise machine while you sleep. There are also white noise machine apps if you don’t want to go out and purchase one.
