I participated in an Ambassador program on behalf of Influence Central for Pernix Therapeutics. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
With summer coming to end and my 4 children heading back to school in a few weeks, I seem to have a lot on my mind. I tend to stay up a little later, trying to get in a few more minutes of “quiet” time and I toss and turn at night because I have to do lists running through my head. With the busy Back To School season ahead, I want to continue trying to get on a better sleep schedule. Today, I am sharing 5 Tips & Tricks you can use to get A Better Night’s Sleep Tonight!
A few weeks ago, I shared some information with you in my post Are You Getting A Good Night’s Sleep? about the huge sleep problem we have here in the U.S. The good news is, is that by making a few simple changes to your daily routine, you may have the power to help yourself get a better night’s sleep. You deserve it! If you are having trouble sleeping, make an effort to help your body and mind’s well being. After all, a good night’s sleep affects us all day long!
Here’s 5 Ways You Can
Get A Better Night’s Sleep TONIGHT!
1. Get Active In The Morning. Getting a good night’s sleep has a lot to do with what you do all day. Getting in some exercise early in the day can strengthen your circadian rhythm that helps bring on that nice feeling of sleepiness at night when we are trying to go to bed. Even a 20-30 minute walk or bike ride first thing in the morning can help you fall asleep several hours later.
2. Make Yourself Really Comfortable. Sometimes when our minds are busy at work, we have to remind our body that it’s time to wind down. Relaxing activities such as taking a warm bath, reading a book or even listening to some music can help your mind and body transition from daytime to bedtime. Invest in a comfortable pillow instead of tossing, turning and fluffing an old one. Maybe even purchase a new sheet set. Your bedroom needs to feel like a place that you can relax and escape to.
3. Say Good Night! It’s so important to put away your electronic devices at least one hour before you go to bed. It’s amazing how much more relaxed you become when you allow yourself to unwind and not be distracted by emails, social alerts and text messages. Sometimes just looking at your phone and checking it constantly becomes a habit, and you don’t even realize that you are doing it. Those bluish and bright LED lights from mobile phones and tablets can activate and stimulate your brain, keeping you from falling and staying asleep at night. If you must keep your phone on your nightstand next to you at night, turn it over.
4. Darken Your Room. Block out the light. Light and darkness are natural reminders that tell your body when it’s time to be up and when it’s time to rest. Light during the night can send messages to your brain that it’s time to wake up before you’re really ready. If you have a TV in your room, don’t leave it on. As a matter of fact, if you can watch your evening shows in your living room instead, that would be great! It may be hard to get use to (trust me I’ve been there) but making a mental note of “My bedroom is a place for relaxing and sleeping” can have a huge impact on your night’s sleep.
5. Don’t Be Hard On Yourself. Making adjustments to every routine is hard. Things become a habit and they are often hard to break, especially if they are things that you are use to doing when you want to unwind in the evening. It may take you a few nights or a few weeks to really get going on your new evening routine, but it will be worth it. Don’t get upset and frustrated. Your body needs time to adjust too. If you make commit to making a change, you can do it!
I’ve really worked hard on signing off of all electronics an hour or two before bedtime this past month. I’ve caught myself a few times, but there have been times where I really set those things aside and enjoyed my evening with my family before bed. Those nights I had a really good night’s sleep. I even told my husband that I haven’t slept that good in a while. I guess I just have to keep reminding myself that even if my body is tired, there are things I have to do to get my mind ready for bedtime too!
In the next few weeks I am going to work on going dark. I do have a small nightlight in my room, but I can probably move that into our bathroom to really darken most of my bedroom. Baby steps…
What will you do to Get A Better Night’s Sleep?
What’s the Biggest Challenge You Face?
To learn more about how to achieve a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep visit Wanttosleepmore.com
