1. Maintain a Schedule
Sleep schedules can be difficult to maintain with our busy lives and various stresses. We all have internal clocks. However, these can only be stable if we put effort into maintaining our schedules. It’s totally okay to take this slowly! For instance, a first step might be to try going to sleep and waking up within the same hour every day.
2. Disconnect Prior to Sleeping
With all the ways in which we are digitally connected today, it can be difficult to disconnect. However, it is essential that we do so. Although it can be tempting to absentmindedly scroll before bed, this serves as stimulation and harms your sleep. The blue light emitted from your phone or computer can decrease how much you sleep as well as the quality of sleep you’re getting. Thus, consider alternative before-bed activities.
3. Say NO to Caffeine (…late in the day)
Most people have heard about the harmful effects of caffeine. However, it’s hard for anyone to quit cold-turkey! We all know how hard that morning cup of caffeinated happiness hits. Try to start slowly, cutting caffeine out of your evenings. In addition, set reminders for yourself to be aware of your caffeine intake.
4. Get Out of Bed
If you can’t sleep, you likely experience those dreaded thoughts while watching time tick by: If I go to sleep now I’ll have gotten five hours, and so on. However, this is an incredibly dangerous cycle of thoughts. Ultimately, you will just become more anxious, likely getting less sleep. Instead, consider getting out of bed, doing a calming activity, and removing yourself from the negative headspace.
5. Find your Calm
Often, people who can’t sleep have extremely active minds. Moreover, it can seem as if your thoughts are yapping away the most at bedtime. Calming your mind can be helpful in improving quality and duration of sleep. There are many ways to go about this, such as podcasts, comforting books, and classical music. Find more ideas here.
Featured Image by Ben Blennerhassett on Unsplash.
No attribution required, free to use.
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