How to Sleep Better at Night for Good Mood and Energy

“Sleep is an investment in the energy you need to be effective tomorrow.”

– Tom Roth

Tired to the core but not able to fall asleep? We have all been there asking how to sleep better at night to stop waking up groggy and unrested….feeling “Oh, I so need a break.”

Sleep plays such a big role…in how well we are able to focus or manage our mood and so basically, our attitude towards anything in life…that it becomes a non-neglectable part of how we take care of ourselves mind, body, and soul.

It’s not simply a question of getting 7-8 hours of shuteye every night, but of how to get quality sleep to wake up refreshed, revved up to take life head on, and equipped to begin the day with better clarity than we ended the day before.

SECTIONS/LIST OF CONTENTS

• Why restful sleep is a big part of self-care
• Sleep time changes to sleep better at night
• Getting ready for bed tips to keep in mind
• Lifestyle changes for better sleep management
• How to develop the habit of sleep hygiene

Restful sleep is a big part of self-care because aside from the obvious benefits of relaxing our body, it offers that downtime which is essential for our subconscious mind to process all the information we collected during the day.

That’s why it’s well-known advice to sleep on problems. It gives our brain leisure to make connections, find a pattern, and give us the best possible solution…diffusing situations that could ultimately become stressful.

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How to sleep better at night naturally

According to a research study, lack of sleep affects the performance of tasks controlled by frontal lobe of our brain, tasks like planning, concentration, and other high-level intellectual skills. Regular low-quality sleep can start compromising our body’s immune function.

So, let’s see how to sleep well with small corrections of our lifestyle and daily routines, basically improve overall sleep hygiene.

A. Sleep time

1. Can’t fall asleep

Turn the clock away if you find yourself getting more wakeful watching time advance without you being able to fall asleep. If you are too stressed to sleep and haven’t been able to doze off 20-30 minutes after going to bed, instead of lying worrying, get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy enough. It’s the worry that’s going to keep you awake. Read a relaxing book, listen to soothing music, write in your journal to transfer the thoughts from your mind on to paper, take up your coloring book, or whatever unwinds you mentally.

2. Disturbed sleep

Try switching sleep position if you keep waking up at night without knowing why. Some people have sleep apnea or sleep breathing disorder that’s not severe enough to cause visible problems, but does interfere with sleep. Switching sleeping position can help reduce stress on the airway passages and help breathe better.

3. Ambiance

A quiet and dark room, plus a comfortable temperature helps sleep better at night. The décor should be relaxing with soothing colors. Make sure there’s good ventilation for fresh air to circulate keeping the oxygen level healthy.

Snake plants, gerbera daisy, and aloe vera produce oxygen well into the night helping maintain quality sleep. Gardenia and jasmine flowers give out a sweet fragrance encouraging stress release, relaxation, and restful sleep.

4. Timing

Keep your sleep pattern consistent, go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to keep your internal clock sane. Research studies have shown they confuse our internal clock and interferes with the production of natural sleep hormones in our brain.

5. Natural aids

A few drops of essential oils in a diffuser or sprinkled on your pillow can help create a calm, relaxed. Frankincense helps with bedtime anxiety and also stress, pain, and mood. Roman chamomile creates a peaceful, relaxed ambiance.

Cedarwood essential oil is believed to promote sleep hormone production in our brain. You can also try out valerian, ylang-ylang, and marjoram. A word of caution, check for any contraindication or allergies before using these natural products.

6. Distractions

Remove all distractions that might keep you awake or wake you up at night. Keep your pets in their bed, not yours. Turn off notifications on your phone and turn the ringer volume down if you don’t want to put it on silent mode for possible emergencies.

B. Getting ready for bed

1. Unwind

Make a habit of enjoying a warm relaxing bath or at least a warm foot soak before bed. Keep the hour before bedtime as relaxing and quiet as possible. Get into a regular routine of winding down so that your body knows you are getting ready for sleep.

2. Exercise

Avoid any vigorous exercise at least 3 hours before going to bed. Do gentle modulated breathing exercises before going to bed to relax those strained nerves and muscles.

3. Screen time

Make the hour before bedtime a screen-free time because the blue light from these makes our body think it’s still daytime.

4. Stimulants

Research has shown that caffeine (tea, coffee, chocolate, soda), alcohol, and other stimulants don’t mix well with sleep…so keep them at least 3 to 4 hours away from your bedtime. Warm herbal tea with honey instead of an after-dinner cup of coffee will help you relax more effectively.

5. Liquids

To avoid trips to the bathroom at night, limit the amount of liquid you drink at least an hour before bedtime. It will give you time to advance into deeper restful sleep. However, a glass of warm milk before this time could help relax and also encourage the production of melatonin.

6. Food for good sleep

Be mindful of what you eat before bedtime. A light snack with warm milk is a good choice because nuts, milk, and dairy products contain tryptophan that boosts the production of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin. Try and avoid late-night meals.

7. Comfort

Make sure the mattress, pillows, comforter, and everything else is comfortable. Wear loose-fitting, comfortable, breathable clothes.

8. How to sleep better with better stress management

Stress triggers the fight-or-flight hormones that obviously go against sleep. As far as possible, avoid confrontation or emotional discussions just before bedtime. If unavoidable, then it’s better to stay awake and resolve it.

Keep a brain dump diary to transfer all the thoughts rushing about in your head. We are better able to sort our thoughts and ideas when we see them in writing. This will help your mind wind down effectively and stop racing thoughts at night.

C. Lifestyle

1. Sun

Spend some time (at least 30 minutes) every day in sunlight to keep your inner clock or circadian rhythm healthy. But, remember to wear sunscreen before going out. Get a blue-enriched white light for cloudy days because research shows it improves alertness, focus, mood, and nighttime sleep.

2. Sanctuary

Keep your bedroom a sanctuary for sleep and relaxation. No TV or computer in the bedroom. Don’t drag work or other activities into that space.

If you have to work in your bedroom, install a comfortable chair with a footstool or other comfortable sitting arrangement to do your work rather than sitting propped up in bed. But, remember that in order to be productive, we also have to make relaxation a priority…give your brain time to process everything collected throughout the day.

3. Exercise

According to Dr. Karen Carlson of Harvard Medical School, “exercise boosts the effect of natural sleep hormones such as melatonin.” Move your body, get some exercise (at least 20 minutes) during the day to get better quality sleep at night.

4. Naptime

Avoid napping during the day because it confuses our internal clock says a study done at the University of California. But if you must, limit to less than 30 minutes. It will help maintain sleep continuity at night.

5. Diet

Avoid heavy dinner or having food during the day that could cause indigestion and heartburn. Plan to have the last big meal of your day a couple of hours before bedtime. Food for good sleep – whole grain products, brown rice, lean meats, lettuce, kale, sage, and basil help reduce stress and promote sleep. So, try and plan your dinner menu around at least one of these.

And what drink helps you sleep better at night? Cherry juice that boosts melatonin production, warm herbal tea with honey that helps us relax, and warm milk which does both.

6. How to sleep better by monitoring your lifestyle

Keep a sleep diary that notes what you feel helped you sleep better or what you thought kept you up at night or woke you up several times. They will show you the pattern that works for you and what to avoid to sleep better at night.

7. Stress Management

We have started seeing daily stress as a normal part of life. We don’t even notice it any longer until we go on a vacation or for a massage and feel the difference – tightness of shoulder and neck melting away, being able to notice little things like chirping birds outside the window, and all the pain in the lower back gone.

Even though we don’t notice it, it keeps piling until we end up feeling burned out and overwhelmed into inaction. Make managing daily stress a priority because it not only affects sleep, but also our physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.

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Start small and manage your sleep routine as best as you can accommodate around your commitments. Try out a couple of tips in the beginning that stretches but don’t snap your comfort zone. Then, keep gradually building on that…that’s how lasting healthy habits are created. Make yourself a priority and start taking care of your mind, body, and soul – your health and happiness are your own responsibility.

Which of these tips for better sleep would you like to try out first? Let’s take this conversation to the comments below…meet you there 🙂

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