10 Tips to Improve Your Sleep 

Sleep plays an important role in physical, mental, and emotional health. During sleep, your body works hard to restore organ function, reduce inflammation, and it is one of the best things we can do for the brain. Since humans cannot make up lost sleep, here are a few tips to help set you up to succeed and get a good night’s sleep!

Create a routine. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends and days off. This helps support the sleep-wake cycle and the body becomes accustomed to the same cycle every day.

Avoid caffeine. It is best to avoid consuming any caffeine (coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, and some medications) after 2pm. These substances act as stimulants and interfere with the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Caffeine has a half-life of 7 hours (the amount of time it takes to clear half of the caffeine out of your system). Even if you are able to fall asleep, the caffeine in your system will affect the quality of sleep.

Avoid alcohol. It is best to avoid alcohol for at least 1 hour before going to bed as it interrupts the quality of sleep.

Sleep rituals. You can develop your own rituals to remind your body that it is time to sleep – some people find it useful to do relaxing stretches or breathing exercises for 15 minutes before bed each night or have a cup of herbal tea.

Bath time. Having a hot bath 1-2 hours before bedtime can be useful, as it will raise your body temperature, causing you to feel sleepy as your body temperature drops again. Research shows that sleepiness is associated with a drop in body temperature.

Exercise. Regular exercise is a good idea to help with sleep. Try to exercise in the morning as this is when cortisol is naturally high. Strenuous exercise in the evening may keep you awake.

Eat right. A healthy, balanced diet will help you to sleep well, but timing is important. Some people find that a very empty stomach at bedtime is distracting, so it can be useful to have a light snack, but a heavy meal soon before bed can also interrupt sleep. If you continue to wake up in the middle of the night, it could be a sign of blood sugar imbalances and correcting your nutrition during the day can help.

The right space. It is particularly important that your bedroom is quiet and comfortable for sleeping. A cooler room with enough blankets to stay warm is best. Make the room as dark as possible either with blackout blinds or an eye mask. Be aware of the electromagnetic fields in your bedroom. They disrupt the production of melatonin and serotonin. To help counter the EMF, avoid having electrical devices and digital clocks within 3 feet of the bed.

Light exposure. Light exposure is what controls the sleep-wake cycle. Being exposed to light right before you go to sleep blocks melatonin production. Try to avoid bright lights and screens 1-2 hours before bed. If this is not possible, wear blue light blocking glasses in this time frame before bed. Blue light comes from devices like computers, phones, and TVs. However, in the morning it is beneficial to be exposed to light. Upon waking, go outside for 10-15 minutes to be exposed to natural light. This signals the body it is time to produce/release cortisol, the hormone that helps to wake us up in the morning.

Lavender essential oil. The aromatherapy from lavender can improve quality of sleep. The essential oil can be used in a diffuser before bed or added to a tissue and put inside the pillowcase.