LIFESTYLE & TRAVEL

How to Get the Good Night's Sleep You've Been Dreaming About

A successful day starts with a good night’s sleep. Here are a few tips if you have trouble falling asleep.

Cut the caffeine

A good night’s sleep starts with falling asleep early to ensure you get a good amount and wake up on time to be successful the next day. Avoid caffeine after 3 p.m. or 4 p.m., to ensure you’re tired by bedtime. Caffeine hits everyone differently, some people can drink it and fall asleep within hours while others could feel the morning cup of coffee all day. Beware of the caffeine not only in coffee but energy drinks, pops, teas, and even dark chocolate which has high caffeine in it.

Your room

Your sleep is impacted by your sleeping space. Having a room that is comfortable for you is important. A cluttered space may make you feel anxious, making it harder to fall asleep. Sometimes a lot of clothes or pillows can collect dust, making it harder to breathe in your sleeping space. Your room should be a space to unwind and relax. Try to put away study materials and electronics if you can before going to sleep. Having a dimmed light to put on while getting ready for bed will also help create a soothing space. A place to help you wind down, relax, and get ready for bed is what your bedroom should be.

Temperature

Everybody has a temperature preference of being either hot or cold when they sleep. Whichever you prefer is what you should have in your room. Purchase a fan, maybe with a setting that turns off after a set amount of time. Consider if you want some background noise to fall asleep or if you want a silent fan. If you get cold when you sleep, get extra blankets, or if you get hot, use a light sheet instead of a heavy comforter. These are small details that play a big role in falling asleep at night.

Don’t nap

Another way to ensure you will be tired when it’s bedtime is by not taking a nap during the day. Some people run on naps and still easily fall asleep at night. Though if you’re someone who has trouble falling asleep at night, try cutting the nap out of your day. If you do take a nap, try not to take it after 6 p.m. so you can go to bed at a reasonable time. The earlier you need to wake up, the earlier you should strive to go to bed to feel refreshed in the morning.

Put your phone away

There are many reasons to put your phone away before going to bed. First, the light will keep you awake. Next, scrolling through social media can make hours fly by and before you know it 9 p.m. turns into 11 p.m. The biggest reason to put your phone away is because it’s your main source of communication with the world. You never know what could pop up on the news, what your friends have on their mind, or anything else. By looking at your phone before bed, you’re letting yourself access all these things that can often get your mind racing, making it harder for you to fall asleep. Silence your notifications, or you can even simply turn your phone off. If you have trouble really disconnecting, you could leave it another room for the night.

Solution for everything

Sometimes there are factors of your sleep environment you can’t control. You could be dealing with loud neighbors, heavy traffic outside of your window, or lights so bright, your blinds can’t even block them out. Whatever it is, take control of the situation. There are all kinds of earplugs and headphone options, as well as eye masks. If your mattress is too hard or too soft, there are very inexpensive mattress toppers that can go over it and fix the problem. By taking care of all these things, you will have a much better night’s sleep, resulting in a more positive, healthier, and productive day.