You know that rare occurrence when you feel like a million dollars after a restful night’s sleep? It shouldn’t be a rare occurrence, especially given how the benefits of a good nights sleep has everything to do with every part of your life. Building a long-term pattern of healthy, restorative sleep could be the ticket—and it’s easier than you might think.
Set the Tone
Like a perfect date, a great night's sleep depends on the right setting. “You want to create an environment that’s inviting, that will make you want to turn off that television for getting to bed, Part of that sleep-enhancing environment is the temperature you keep your room. Most people do best in the 65-degree range, everybody is different, so some amount of thermostat tinkering will be required. Another easily controllable element is how you light your bedroom. Look for specially designed sleep-friendly LEDs—dimmable, lower-watt bulbs with the kind of warm, diffuse light. Red bulbs are even more conducive to sleep...if you don't mind feeling like your sleeping in a…….nevermind.
Turn Off the Screens
The blue hues of light emitted by phone, TV, and computer screens have been shown to rob your body of melatonin, the sleep hormone—ultimately making it more difficult to fall asleep. A best thing to do is to avoid blue light altogether in the hour or so ahead of bedtime. This means no screens in the bedroom. If you really struggle with reeling in screen time at night, consider a pair of blue-light-reducing glasses. Shoot me an email and i can give you my recommendations on the best pair and still have money for breakfast
In addition to screens, try controlling other light sources as well. There should be minimal to no light coming into the room, Blackout curtains might make a big difference when it comes to high-quality, uninterrupted sleep.
Learn to Let Go
Now this part can be particularly challenging by recognizing what you can and can’t control. When you feel the pressure to sleep well, you can develop anxiety around it.
Instead of thinking about going to sleep, think about just getting some rest. You can go lie flat, relax, and close your eyes. If you realize it doesn’t have to be sleep, you remove the anxiety. Odds are, you will sleep anyhow.
The Final Touches
Establish a bedtime routine that will signal to your body that it’s time to sleep. The smell of lavender can help. Consider spraying your room or bedding with it just before laying down.
Lavender spray and red light bulbs, I already know.
The nice thing about a routine like this is that it can serve as a sleep trigger even when you’re not in your own bed. Pay attention to the details that allow you to drift off. If it’s lavender, for instance, then bring that with you when you travel.
Comments