How to Get Better Sleep Naturally

Sleep is essential for your wellbeing, yet it can be challenging to get enough. Fortunately, there are simple strategies you can employ that will help ensure you get enough shut-eye and improve your overall wellbeing.

First and foremost, ensure your bedroom is a dark and quiet space to sleep in. Turn off TVs, computers and other screens at least an hour before bedtime to create the ideal ambiance.

Make Your Bedroom Comfortable

Conjuring up a cozy and welcoming bedroom can be an effective way to promote better sleep naturally. Your bedroom is one of the most important rooms in your home, so ensure it’s somewhere where you feel safe and secure.

A warm and inviting bedroom can help you sleep more soundly and stay asleep longer, improving your overall mood. To create a calming atmosphere in your room, focus on soft tones like light grays or taupes, sage green, or dusky blues.

Layer bedding and textiles to add texture and warmth. For instance, select a flannel sheet or cotton bed cover in an adorable seasonal print, or grab yourself a soft throw blanket to cuddle up under.

Set a Regular Bedtime

Establishing a consistent bedtime helps your brain form habits that alert it when it’s time for sleep. These could include taking a warm bath, reading books or listening to music.

Additionally, meditation can help alleviate anxiety and rumination – the kind of worrying thoughts that could keep you from getting the rest you need.

Ideally, set your alarm for the same time each day, regardless of how long it takes you to get ready or what else is happening in your bedroom. This will help ensure a consistent morning routine.

Staying awake until bedtime is essential for anyone suffering from insomnia, according to Samantha Anders, PhD a Minneapolis-based psychologist who specializes in treating this disorder. According to Dr. Anders, consistent sleep schedules help train your brain to release hormones necessary for alertness and readiness for rest when you go to bed at a set time each night.

Reduce Your Caffeine Intake

Caffeine can help keep you alert during the day, but it may interfere with your sleep patterns. In order to achieve natural, improved sleep patterns, it’s important to reduce your caffeine consumption.

Start by slowly decreasing your caffeine consumption. Replace one of your daily cups of caffeine with a decaf or caffeine-free option each week for several weeks, gradually decreasing it to no more than one cup per day.

While you may experience withdrawal symptoms like headache, anxiety or irritability during this process, they should subside after a few days as you adjust to your new caffeine intake. If mental health problems appear as you reduce caffeine consumption, speak to a doctor. It’s essential to identify and address any underlying issues causing sleep issues before trying to reduce caffeine consumption drastically.

Avoid Screen Time Before Bed

The blue light emitted by screens disrupts your body’s natural sleep cycle and interferes with melatonin’s release, the hormone responsible for inducing sleepiness.

If you use devices at bedtime, make sure they are turned off at least an hour before going to sleep. Doing this will enable you to get deeper, more restful slumber.

As a family, set strict limits for screen time before bed and communicate to your kids that you value their need for rest. By limiting their exposure to electronic devices before bedtime, you are helping them develop healthy habits that will last them throughout life.

Avoid Noise

Noise can keep you up at night, denying yourself essential rest. It may also cause you to feel less alert and irritable the following day.

One of the most effective ways to combat insomnia is by limiting exposure to loud sounds before bed. This includes not playing music, listening to the radio or watching TV at a high volume.

If you can’t do this, use earplugs or a fan to block out disruptive noises. If the noise is coming from outside your bedroom, blackout curtains may help muffle it.

If your partner snores, be sure to discuss how their noise impacts your sleep. It might help if you move the bedroom or rearrange furniture to reduce noise levels and try to resolve the issue.