Dreaming of a Good Night’s Sleep? Try This
So much can get in the way of getting a good night’s sleep: from anxiety and stress, to diet and exercise habits, to hot flashes and night sweats, to blue light and room temperature. Some of these issues may require the expertise of a medical professional; others may simply need a bit of testing to see what works for you.
Here is a list of changes you can make that could improve your sleep quality and help you meet your sleep goals. Try the ones that resonate with you most—or try them all.
Set a routine: Target a specific time to wake up and to go to sleep each day; try not to change it much, if at all, on the weekends. (Sleeping in a half-hour, for example, might not disrupt your routine; test it out if you enjoy sleeping a little late.) The consistency of a set bedtime and wake-up time will help you get in a groove and sleep better as a result.
Get some sun: Spending time outside when it’s light outside—to exercise, take a morning stroll or a weekend hike, do yard work, etc.—will help keep your body clock ticking in sync with your circadian rhythms.
Adjust your dietary habits: For many of us, eating a meal, snacking, or drinking beverages—especially alcohol—too close to bedtime may disrupt our sleep. Eating right before sleeping could lead to indigestion; drinking may translate to midnight trips to the bathroom. Keep your food/beverage intake to a minimum before bed or leave a couple of hours between your last meal/drink and your bedtime. If late-night snacking is a habit, you could switch it with another habit. For instance, some people brush their teeth instead of snacking before bed.
Curb caffeine intake: Avoid or reduce caffeine after midday (or mid-afternoon if you’re more caffeine-tolerant). This includes not only beverages such as coffee, tea, and energy drinks, but also caffeinated foods: coffee- and tea-flavored treats, chocolate, and the many snacks that contain chocolate—from granola bars to ice cream to cereal. Also, some pain relievers contain caffeine, so check labels before taking them in the evening.
Wear yourself out: Make sure you’re getting enough exercise and other physical activity each day. Take a long walk after dinner instead of heading right for the couch; embrace yardwork and housecleaning to get you moving. Build exercise into your schedule.
Plan to relax: Create a wind-down routine that will help you relax and get ready to drift off. For instance, you might take a warm bath, try meditating or reading a book right before bed, or even flow through a relaxing stretch routine, rather than watching TV or scrolling social media. Bonus benefit: Less disruptive blue light right before bed.
Keep your bedroom cool: The cool air will help lower your body's core temperature, which will signal your body that it's time for sleep. A cool room will also help you deal with middle-of-the-night hot flashes. You may also want to try products such as pillows, pillowcases, sheets, and even mattresses designed to keep you cool when you’re asleep.
Darken your room: Ambient light—everything from streetlights to blue light from, say, a cable box clock—can be disruptive to falling and staying asleep. Find ways to minimize it in your bedroom. Blackout shades work for some people (others don’t like them because they also block the morning sun, which helps you wake up). Some people choose alarm clocks with a soft orange light instead of blue. And others like to wear a sleep mask.
Dress for success: Some sleep experts advocate sleeping naked, which can help regulate body temperature. In turn, you might fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. And some people swear by wearing socks as a surefire way to fall asleep faster. If you’re not comfortable sleeping in the buff, several companies make pajamas designed to keep you cool while you sleep—another potential option for hot-flash sufferers.
Sleeping well is essential to numerous aspects of your health—from managing your stress, to maintaining your weight, to staying alert and focused during the day. It’s worth trying these approaches to improving sleep, discovering which work for you, and adding them to your daily routine.
