Sleep Tips: 13 Ways to Sleep Better at Night

As we step into a new year, it's the perfect time to reevaluate and revitalize our sleep habits. Getting a great night's sleep isn't just a luxury; they're a cornerstone of our overall well-being and vitality.

Below, we'll explore practical and transformative tips designed to help you achieve better sleep. From refining your sleep environment to adopting routines that soothe the mind and body, we're committed to guiding you through strategies that promise more peaceful slumbers and energized mornings.

Embrace these changes and make this year your best sleep yet! Start with simple adjustments and see what works best for you.

Maintain a Regular Sleep Schedule

Allow yourself up to eight hours of sleep. As a healthy adult, you should get at least seven hours. Most people don't need more than eight hours in bed to feel refreshed and well-rested.

Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Sticking to this routine helps strengthen your body's natural sleep-wake rhythm.

If you're not asleep within 20 minutes after going to bed, it's a good idea to get up and leave your bedroom and do something calming. Whether that's reading a book or listening to some mellow tunes, find what relaxes you. Once you start to feel tired, head back to bed. You can do this as often as necessary.

Just remember to stick to a consistent sleep schedule and wake-up time. Irregular sleep patterns, particularly on weekends, can disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycle and cause confusion to your brain. Irregular sleep patterns, particularly on weekends, can disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycle and cause confusion in your brain.

Related Blog: Tips on How to Fix Your Sleep Schedule

Exercise in the Morning

Exercise is one of the best ways for your body to naturally find its way into deep sleep. Appalachian State University did an exercise and sleep study that tracked three groups exercising at 7 am 1 pm, or 7 pm, three days per week. It showed that the participants who got the most profound, longest sleep (aka, the best sleep) were those who exercised in the morning. [1]

Did You Know: People who exercise in the early morning spend 75% more time in a deep restorative stage of sleep than those who exercise later in the day.

Morning exercise provides the energy you need to zoom through the day and ensure that you’re in good shape for another round of regenerative rest come evening.

In the case of sleep health, it’s more beneficial to exercise in the morning than at night because of the rise in your core body temperature, which stays elevated for roughly four to five hours following a workout.

Did You Know: In a study, it was recorded that morning exercise has very different effects on metabolism than the same workout later in the day. [2]

Does Exercise Help You Sleep?

Studies indicate that creating an exercise routine can help you sleep better, and adequate sleep may promote healthier physical activity levels throughout the day. [3]

People who engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise can see a difference in sleep quality that same night.

Sleep Tip: What are the consequences of exercise before bedtime? Studies indicate that moderate exercise near bedtime will not harm your sleep. But completing your workout at least one hour before bedtime is suggested.

Read more about the connection between sleep and exercise.

Eat Healthier Foods

When experiencing difficulties in sleep, try paying attention to what you have been eating and drinking. An inadequate diet is a double whammy when it comes to sleep. Not only does it make you feel sluggish and tired, but it also hampers your ability to get good sleep.

Talk about an unhealthy sleep cycle – that's why eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is crucial. This means starting your day out well with a healthy breakfast and being reasonable about those late-evening snacks. Experts suggest eating dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime to ensure good sleep. [4]

Consuming high-carbohydrate meals can harm your sleep. Recent studies have found that meals high in carbohydrates can raise the number of times you wake up during the night, ultimately reducing the deep sleep quality. [5]

Limiting or avoiding eating big meals late at night and smoking altogether is best. If cutting out cold turkey, it can be challenging. Consider drinking caffeine-free tea like Lavender or Chamomile, which can naturally promote sleep and relaxation.

Nutrients That Increase Sleep

Two types of nutrients can increase your ability to get good sleep. They’re tryptophan and vitamin C.

Foods with Tryptophan:

• Turkey
• Eggs
• Cheese
• Salmon
• Nuts & Seeds
• Seaweed
• Turnips
• Pineapple

Foods With Vitamin C:

• Oranges
• Red Peppers
• Kale
• Brussel Sprouts
• Broccoli
• Strawberries
• Grapefruit
• Guava

Avoid Eating Late at Night

Eating late at night can adversely affect your sleep. When you eat late at night, your body doesn't have enough time to digest the food properly, leading to indigestion, heartburn, and disrupted sleep. It's important to avoid eating too close to bedtime to promote healthy digestion and a good night's sleep.

But, depending on the meals or snacks can play a role. A recent study determined that participants that consumed a high-carb meal 4 hours before bedtime helped them fall asleep faster. [6]

Reduce Caffeine Consumption

We hate to be a buzzkill, but caffeine and alcohol affect sleep performance and quality.

Effects of Caffeine on Sleep

Let's start with coffee and caffeine, stimulants that we love for their effect on getting us moving. Coffee has plenty of benefits, [7] consumed by more than 90% of the US. Population.

That is, until we don't want to keep it going, which tends to be later in the day or evening. We can't turn its stimulating effects off, so we've got to lean on our ability to restrain the intake after specific times.

Most sources recommend that the amount of caffeine intake should be sometime between 2-4 pm and not exceed 400mg of caffeine daily. Caffeine can make it difficult for some people to fall asleep if taken close to bedtime. It can delay the timing of your internal body clock, reducing your total sleep time. [8] If you're craving coffee, give decaffeinated coffee a try.

Caffeine Sleep Study: Consuming caffeine (400mg) up to 6 hours leading up to bedtime significantly decreased sleep quality. [9]

Effects of Alcohol on Sleep

Then there's alcohol, a depressant. Many experience alcohol's relaxing qualities without comprehending the disturbance it causes to our sleep. How does alcohol affect sleep? While alcohol may help us fall asleep more quickly, it can prevent you from getting deep sleep and REM sleep. It can negatively affect your hormones, resulting in poorer sleep.

REM sleep is a more mentally restorative time for sleep. It often occurs because the alcohol in your body keeps you in a lighter sleep. Additionally, alcohol has been linked to increase or cause symptoms of snoring, sleep apnea, and disrupted sleep patterns. [10]

Increase Light Exposure During the Day

Interestingly enough, getting some time outside while the sun's up can help you sleep when the sun goes down. Scientists say that getting as little as 10 minutes a day of continuous sun exposure can lower your evening cortisol levels and allow you to wind down and get quality sleep. [11]

A very good idea (if possible) is to combine morning exercise with this tip to double down on sleep efficiency. Natural sunlight regulates and keeps your circadian rhythm healthy by telling your body when to increase and decrease your melatonin levels. Increasing natural light can improve your energy and improve your sleep duration and quality.

It is believed that exposure to bright daylight can increase sleep duration. This can be a helpful solution for individuals who suffer from serious sleeping issues and insomnia.

By improving the quality of your sleep, you can perform daily tasks with greater efficiency, which can positively impact your cognitive health.

Did You Know: Individuals with insomnia experience enhanced sleep quality and longer duration after exposure to bright light during the daytime. Additionally, the time taken to fall asleep decreased by 83%. [12]

Bedroom Temperature

You may have noticed the challenge of sleeping well when living in hot locations. The key to better sleep is to keep your sleep environment cool. The best temperature for sleep is between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit, so set that thermostat somewhere in that range until you find the best temperature. Keep in mind that everyone has a slightly different optimal sleep temperature).

Sleep Temperature Tip: Along with the room temperature, you can cool your body by sleeping with light, breathable clothing such as bamboo or cotton. Avoid synthetic materials that often trap heat and keep your body hot.

Read More: The Benefits of Sleeping Cooler

Reduce Blue Light Exposure

Most individuals have an evening routine involving catching up on social media or watching TV to unwind before bed. Devices such as your smartphone and TV emit blue light, which blocks the release of melatonin in the evening after 1.5 hours of use, making it challenging to fall asleep. Exposure to blue light suppresses the production of melatonin, which regulates sleep.

Most devices we use to emit blue light are defined as “a type of high-energy visible light, defined as having a wavelength between 380 and 500 nm.” The most common sources of blue light are commonly found in:

• Televisions
• Computers
• Tablets
• Smartphones

Sleeping Tip: Power down for the night at least two hours before going to sleep. Think about how you can replace that time you would have spent watching TV or being on your phone unwinding by meditating, relaxing, reading a (paper) book, or just going to bed.

How can you reduce blue light exposure leading to bedtime? Below are some helpful tips.

• Wear blue light-blocking sunglasses
• Stop watching TV 1-2 hours before bedtime
• Download apps that can help block blue light on your computer
• Install apps that block blue light on your smartphone. Available for both iPhone and Android

If you want to learn more, read our blog about how blue light can affect your sleep.

Limit Amount of Daytime Naps

Taking a long nap during the day can diminish the quality of your sleep. It's best to take a short nap if needing a nap, as they do provide some benefits. Sleeping in the daytime can ultimately confuse your internal clock, which can result in struggling to fall asleep at night.

Recently, a study of participants became more tired during the day following a daytime nap. [13] But, if you take naps regularly, you shouldn't be too concerned as the effects of napping depend on the person. For some, it may harm their sleep, while others don't notice a change in the duration or quality of their sleep.

Irregular naps can lead to issues such as insomnia. To avoid sleeping conditions, limit naps to short daytime ones.

Tip: If you find yourself having a difficult time sleeping at night, try to limit the duration of your naps or stop to determine if that is the culprit.

Create a Restful Sleep Environment

Creating a restful environment is crucial for sleep because it signals to your body that it's time to wind down and prepares your mind for sleep. Make sure to keep your bedroom cool, dim, and silent.

Even the slightest light exposure can hinder your ability to fall asleep. So try to minimize time spent in front of screens that emit light or electronic devices before bed. Think about utilizing blackout curtains, earplugs, bed cooling systems, or other tools that help tailor the space to your comfort.

Engaging in soothing activities before bed, such as enjoying a warm bath or practicing relaxation methods, box breathing, or yoga Nidra, can also help encourage a better night's sleep.

Sleep Tip: Creating a calming atmosphere reduces stress and anxiety, making relaxing and falling asleep easier.

Creating a soothing sleep environment is critical to achieving the quality sleep necessary for good mental, emotional, and physical health. [14]

If you're looking for helpful tips on designing a bedroom to improve sleep, visit our blog, "Designing the Perfect Bedroom for Better Sleep."

Relax Your Mind & Body

Relaxing your mind and body can help improve your sleep. When you're stressed or anxious, your body produces more cortisol, a hormone that can interfere with your sleep. By engaging in relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or Yoga Nidra before bed, you can reduce cortisol levels and promote calm and relaxation. Also, relaxing your muscles can help you feel more comfortable and fall asleep faster.

So it's important to take the time to unwind and relax before bed. You'll likely notice a significant improvement.

Create Good Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene can play a pivotal role in helping improve your sleep. Why? It involves creating habits and an environment promoting consistent, uninterrupted sleep. Good sleep hygiene helps regulate your body's internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally.

It also minimizes the factors that can disrupt or diminish the quality of your sleep, such as stress, caffeine, and electronic devices. Establishing a calming pre-sleep routine and a comfortable sleep environment sets the stage for deeper, more restorative sleep, which is crucial for physical health, emotional well-being, and cognitive function.

In essence, sleep hygiene is about making sleep a priority and creating the best conditions for it to occur naturally and beneficially.

When to Contact Your Doctor

While it's common to experience a sleepless night now and then, if you frequently struggle to sleep, it's important to consult your healthcare provider. Addressing and managing root issues can significantly improve your sleep quality and ensure you get the better sleep you deserve.

Final Thought

A good night's sleep is crucial to your overall health and well-being. From creating a relaxing sleep environment to establishing a consistent sleep routine and focusing on your diet, there are numerous strategies you can use to improve your sleep.

Remember, it's important to prioritize your sleep and include it in your daily routine. By doing so, you'll reap the many benefits of a good night's sleep, from increased productivity to a better mood and overall quality of life.