Get Better Sleep Starting Tonight: Six Tips for Improving Your Sleep

Starting tonight, you can sleep better, improve your mood, have more daytime energy and think more clearly. 

Experience better sleep immediate by following these six tips for improved sleep. 

1. Get sunlight Early In the Day 

Here’s Why: Sunlight helps to regulate your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s sleep signaling process. 

If you get 30 minutes of sunlight early in the day, you’ll feel naturally sleepy at night due to an established internal sleep pattern.

Easy Steps: If possible, make it a priority to spend some time outdoors early in the day. Take a walk, have a warm, lightly caffeinated beverage in the sunlight and allow daytime light in your home by opening curtains and blinds. 

2. Exercise Regularly 

Here’s Why: Daily exercise, or regular physical movement, have a major impact on your overall health and wellness, including improving your sleep quality. Source

One of the benefits of daily exercise and regular movement is that it helps you accumulate the natural, normal process of sleep pressure. Once you’ve established a healthy amount of sleep pressure, you’ll be able to comfortably and easily fall asleep.

Easy Steps: If you already exercise regularly, you’re ahead of the game. If you don’t, that’s ok! Simply begin a short, basic exercise routine 2 – 3 times per week and very gradually increase your exercise frequency to 5 times per week. As a bonus, move around as much as you can during your waking hours. 

3. Minimize Alcohol

Here’s Why: Drinking alcohol in moderation is usually okay for most people. However, even though alcohol may help you drift off to sleep at night, your body will not properly enter the essential stages of sleep, therefor reducing your sleep quality. Source

Easy steps: Try to minimize your alcohol intake, especially close to bedtime. If you’re able to cut out alcohol altogether, you’ll experience improved sleep quality immediately. 

4. Improve Sleep Environment 

Here’s Why: As you approach bedtime, your body’s systems naturally cause you to get into a sleep mode that helps you get healthy, restful sleep. 

Your sleep environment influences the healthy winding down process and optimizing the room or area where you sleep can greatly improve how quickly and easily you fall asleep.

Easy steps: Keep your sleep area quiet cool and dark, create white noise (like using a fan) and eliminate distractions like a television. 

5. Budget Sleep Time

Here’s Why: Devoting 7 – 9 hours of your day to sleep will allow your body to experience several cycles of the restful, restorative you need to feel more energy, think more clearly and be in a better mood. 

Easy Steps: Reduce activities that rob you of sleep time such as scrolling through social media and watching television. 

Studies have shown that budgeting even 15 extra minutes of sleep time each night can have profound benefits. Make it a priority to gradually increase the amount of time you allow for sleep each night to equal 7 – 9 hours. 

6. Manage Your Stress 

Here’s why: Stress on your body in any form can impact your body’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Stress hormones and an amped-up nervous system response can reduce the quality and quality of your slumber. 

Easy Steps: Techniques such as breathing exercises near bedtime, writing out and sorting through your stressful thoughts and aromatherapy may help reduce your body’s stress response that keeps you from falling asleep and staying asleep. 

Gradually add stress management techniques for better sleep into your daily routine and experience enhanced slumber. 

30 Day Sleep Challenge

This is simple! To experience more restful and restorative sleep starting tonight, increase the amount of time you allow for sleep by 15 minutes. Slowly increase the amount of time devoted to sleep to 30 minutes within a month’s time.

Track how feel by keeping a sleep diary and simply record how rested you feel after each night’s sleep. Watch how quickly your mood improves, how much more energy you have and much more clearly you think. 

Resources

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker, PhD explores these topics and takes an in-depth look at the behind the scenes processes of sleep and dreaming.

This book is the most comprehensive, enlightening book I’ve read on this topic to date and I enthusiastically share the insight shared by Dr. Walker in my presentations, literature and wellness program. 

SleepFoundation.org - Creating A Healthy, Well-Rested World

“We work under the premise that sleep is a pillar of health and that quality information about sleep promotes overall wellness. At SleepFoundation.org you’ll find comprehensive health information drawn from high-quality sources and reviewed by experts in the field. Our goal is to create dependable resources to help you take charge of your health and get the sleep you need and deserve.” Sleep Foundation 

These simple tips can help you get more sleep for more energy, better mood and clear thinking starting tonight! 

Please note: If you make a purchase using links in this article, I may receive a small monetary commission. 

Read More:

Lack of Sleep Can Be Dangerous!

The Scary Cost of Sleep Deprivation

Unlocking Your Brain's Potential: Neuroplasticity and Personal Growth and Well-being