At the end of a long day, do you ever think, “Man, I need a good night’s rest,” only to plop onto the couch and doze off—until your dog smacks you in the face for their nightly walk? Yeah, that happens more often than not in my household.
If you’re also struggling with sleep, don’t worry—there are several tips and tricks that can help improve your sleep hygiene and overall sleep quality:
- Be consistent with a schedule: falling asleep and waking up at the same time DAILY (yes, that means weekends and traveling) can improve your internal clock.
- Having a nightly ritual: stretch, read, journal, meditate, sip tea, and accomplish your full skin and dental routine can cue your mind and body that you’re settling down for bedtime.
- Limit your blue light after sunset: “blue light” may be a term you’ve heard before on social media or while researching, but what is it? “Blue light” refers to the visible light emitted by the sun or digital screens. While beneficial during the day, since it increases alertness and regulates our circadian rhythm, at night, it could be harmful to falling and staying asleep. Excessive exposure can suppress melatonin production and disrupt your sleep cycles.
- Reserve your bed as a place of rest or connection. Avoid using it to watch TV, write emails, or scroll on social media. Allow your mind to associate your bedroom with sleep.
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine, alcohol or big meals at least four hours before bed.
- If you’re hungry, choose a small snack. Some foods contain melatonin or magnesium that may help support healthy sleep (like almonds, cherries, or bananas).
- Feel that sunlight! When you first wake up, get outside and enjoy the sunshine to regulate your biological clock.Improving your sleep quality does not have to be complex. Start small and add more steps over time to determine what works for you and your sleep routine.