9 Ways to Get Back to Great Sleep
Get back to great sleep!
I cannot stress enough the importance of sleep. Lack of quality sleep is tied to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, weight gain and obesity, and general cognitive impairment (i.e. you get dumber).
Recently a good friend of mine told me she is really struggling with sleep. Normally a decent snoozer, recent stressful events in her life have caused severe anxiety. Though she’s exhausted, she can’t seem to fall asleep.
Circadian rhythms get thrown off, but you can get back to great sleep!
Some people struggle with sleep more than others. But even if you normally sleep well, a host of things can throw off your sleep cycle making it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or both. Travel across time zones, sickness, stress, exposure to bright light at the wrong time of day, and even eating late at night or keeping an irregular meal schedule, can all affect circadian rhythm.
If you are going through a Sleepless in Seattle phase, just remember that it is just a phase. The more you worry about not sleeping, the harder it will be to sleep. But my favorite mantra is this: stop focusing on what can’t do (sleep) and start focusing on what you can.
9 simple ways to get back to great sleep
No caffeine after noon. This should be a no-brainer. Even if you think that caffeine doesn’t affect you, it probably does. Consume less overall, and make it before noon.
Wake up and go to bed at the same time. Every day. If your bed and wake times have been wonky, it’s time to get them back on track! Yes, this means on weekends too!
Don’t nap. Some might argue with me on this. And I know you’re tired. But if you sleep for two or three hours in the middle of the day, you are not going to be able to fall asleep at bedtime. To get yourself back on a normal sleep cycle, you’ll need to stop snoozing during the day.
Get outside for at least 10 minutes every morning. Natural light exposure (even when it’s cloudy) can re-balance sleep and wake hormones. You can also use special lights to accomplish this if getting outside isn’t possible.
Dim ambient lights and ban technology an hour before bed. Oh geez…here it is. “But what the f*ck will I DO without being able to scroll FB for an hour before bed?” I don’t know. Read a…what’s that thing called again? Oh yeah, a BOOK. Seriously, if you care that much about sleep (and you should), you’ll stop exposing yourself to blue light before bed.
Take a hot shower or sit in a sauna for a half hour in the evening. The warm to cool transition is a natural sedative and sleep-inducer.
Try an herbal sleep aid like valerian or melatonin for a short time. This is where I put the disclaimer about talking to your doctor before starting any herbal or OTC sleep aid. These remedies aren’t meant to be used long term, but can be helpful to get you back on track.
Do a brain dump. Some might call this journaling, but in my opinion, it’s different. The concept is simple: you write down everything that’s bothering you, causing you stress, or making you emotional. Get it all out. Release it to the universe. You can’t do anything about these worries right this second, so let them go until tomorrow.
Worrying about sleep while you’re trying to sleep won’t help. Get up and do something or read until you feel tired.
Get back to great sleep
People joke that sleep is overrated. Or they say you can sleep when you’re dead. But quality sleep is actually underrated. It’s key to great health and overall happiness. The suggestions above take time and consistent practice to work, but they will help you get back to great sleep!
Thanks for reading!
Blog Author: Kelly Bailey, IIN certified holistic nutrition coach, and NPTI certified personal trainer
Learn more about the author here.