The Key to Restorative Sleep
Restful, restorative sleep happens when you have a high sleep quality. Sleep quality is typically measured by analyzing sleep latency (how long it took you to fall asleep), sleep duration, and other sleep factors, like feeling too hot or too cold in the night, having to wake up to use the bathroom, even the presence of bad dreams can impact your sleep quality. Here are a few ways to improve your sleep quality so you can wake up feeling refreshed and energized.
Create a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Sleeping in on the weekends sounds fun, but it can actually make more challenging to consistently get restful sleep. When your sleep and wake times are drastically shifting, your whole sleep schedule is thrown off - and getting back on track can be challenging. Cultivating a consistent sleep-wake schedule, meaning you wake up at the same time every day and go to bed at the same time every day, can make it much easier to reliably get adequate and restful sleep. Additionally, avoid caffeine consumption after 12pm to avoid involuntary late-nights, and exercise at least 4 hours before bedtime.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults between 18-64 need 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Decide what amount of time feels best for you, and work backward from the time you have to wake up to ensure you’re getting enough sleep at night. You can always adjust how many hours you sleep based off of how you feel.
Pro tip: if you’re making a big adjustment in bedtime, try gradually shifting your bedtime. Start out going to bed 15-30 earlier than you normally would. Once you have the hang of that, again shift your bedtime to 30 minutes earlier and so on until you’re sleep schedule is in alignment.
Establish a Pre-Bedtime Routine
Establishing a pre-bedtime routine is a key part of healthy sleep. This routine marks the beginning of your wind-down time, signaling to your brain and body that sleep is on the horizon. The National Sleep Foundation recommends at least 30 minutes of wind-down time before bed. Most experts recommend technology-free wind down time, meaning no phones or TV to avoid exposure to blue light. This is because blue light, particularly when viewed at night, has been shown to decrease the body’s melatonin production, making it more difficult to fall asleep. Numerous studies suggest that screen time should be avoided for 60 minutes before bedtime to improve sleep quality.
Reducing alcohol consumption in the hours before bed can also be helpful, as alcohol is known to disrupt the REM sleep cycle.
Make Your Bedroom a Sleep Sanctuary
Cultivating your bedroom as a place only for sleeping and technology-free relaxation can have a significant impact on your ability to fall asleep. If you work remotely and have space to do so, consider setting up your workstation in a room other than your bedroom. If your work from home set-up has to be in the bedroom, create designated time boundaries around work, like ending your workday by 5pm each evening. This creates a clear break between when your room is being used as a work station and when it’s being used to wind down for sleep.
When you turn off the lights, make sure your room is as dark as possible to support improved sleep quality. Turn off night lights, close the blinds, and consider using black-out blinds and curtains to really ensure uninterrupted sleep. Many people tend to sleep better when it’s a bit cooler, so keep your room under 70 degrees if at all possible.
If you continue to struggle with restful sleep after implementing these strategies, talk to your doctor. It’s possible that you may be taking medications that can impact your sleep, or have an underlying health issue that’s impacting your sleep schedule.
Supplement Support for Sleep
Ultra Zen for those with busy bodies and minds
Neuro Calm Magnesium capsules or powder: for folks with busy brains and racing thoughts near bedtime
Sleep Sound: best for those struggling to stay asleep