September 5th, 2018 by Chris Chapman

Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, you need to make sure you get a proper nights’ sleep. You probably know that sleep deprivation can make you grouchy, forgetful, and distracted, but a regular lack of sleep can also contribute to some more serious health problems. If you don’t regularly get a good nights’ sleep, you could end up at risk of heart disease, diabetes, and more. If you’re worried about how you’re sleeping, check out these 10 simple tips for getting a better sleep.

Get into a Sleep Routine

Our sleep schedules are controlled by what’s called the circadian rhythm, which is kind of like our bodies’ internal clock. It’s how our body knows when it’s time to go to sleep and time to wake up. Getting into a regular routine will help keep your circadian rhythm nicely in step, so try to wake up and fall asleep at around the same time most nights, even on weekends. If you work shifts, try and keep them as regular as possible to ensure you aren’t constantly re-adjusting to a new routine. This should make it easier for you to get to sleep.

Try Light Exercises Before Bed

Stretches, yoga, and other very light, low impact exercises before bed will help relax your muscles, which can help you drift off to sleep. It’s important that you only do light exercises just before bed – you might think going on a 5-mile run just before bed would make you tired, but it actually has the opposite effect! Intense exercises will get the adrenaline pumping through your body, making you more alert and less tired until the adrenaline rush fades.

Exercise During the Day

While exercising too much before bed is a bad idea, exercising during the day is great for helping you sleep! Plan your workout for the morning or afternoon if you can so your body is ready for rest at night time. This will also help you maintain a healthy weight, which is one of the best ways to ensure you get a deep and restful sleep.

Don’t Look at Your Clock

When you’re getting into bed, set your alarm then hide your clocks away. If you can’t get to sleep - or if you wake up in the night – and you happen to see that it’s late, you’re going to feel stressed about the sleep you’re missing out on. Stress is the last thing you want to feel when you’re trying to sleep, so don’t clock-watch when you’re in bed – it’ll only make things worse!

Change Your Diet

A balanced diet is vital for getting a good sleep, but what you eat isn’t the only thing that can stop you sleeping properly – when you eat is important too! Contrary to the myth, eating before bed doesn’t actually keep you awake (nor does it necessarily cause weight gain – but that’s a different topic!) as long as you eat the right foods. If you do eat before bed, eat foods that are high in magnesium, such as avocados, almonds, and bananas. Magnesium is a muscle relaxant, so your body will feel comfy and contented when you’re trying to sleep. High-carb foods, such as potatoes, pasta, and dairy, should be avoided before bed. As your body uses a lot of energy to digest these carb-loaded foods, they actually make you fall asleep faster but will result in a less restful sleep so you’ll feel tired in the morning.

Regulate Your Temperature

Temperature is one of the things that influences our circadian rhythm. When the temperature drops, your body recognises the night is drawing in and it’s time to go to bed. The problem is when the temperature drops too much, your body kicks back into gear and becomes more active to try and stave off the cold! This can often happen in the night, meaning you’ll fall asleep feeling fine, only to be woken up by a sudden drop in temperature. The key is to regulate your sleeping temperature so it’s not too hot, and not too cold, but also so it stays at the same level all night long. A fully fitted electric blanket is perfect for this. Make sure you look at a comfortable one, such as this Sweet Dreams blanket, that fits to your mattress snugly so you can’t feel any wires. A heated blanket will help keep you cosy, improving circulation, relaxing muscles, and making your brain send feel-good chemicals around your body. Most importantly, they’ll keep you at an even temperature all night long, so you won’t be disturbed by sudden chills in the air, allowing a deeper and more restful sleep.

Try and Force Yourself to Stay Awake

Yes, you read that right! Using a little reverse psychology on yourself can help you fall asleep faster. Going to bed and forcing yourself to go to sleep creates stress and tension, which results in the opposite effect. Studies have found that going to bed while trying to mentally force yourself to stay awake can actually help you sleep! Scientists aren’t actually sure why this works, but it does seem to, so next time you go to bed, convince yourself you’re going to stay awake and see if it helps!

Take a Warm Bath or Shower Before Bed

Getting your bath or shower just before bed helps you sleep in two ways. The warmth helps relax your body and mind and makes you feel contented. In addition, stepping out of a warm shower or bath into the relatively cool air of your bathroom can get your body ready for sleep as the drop in temperature slows your metabolism down and makes your body want to rest. Provided your bathroom isn’t absolutely freezing, this can make you drowsy and ready to climb into bed!

Heat Your Feet

Keeping your feet warm in bed helps you get to sleep faster, deeper, and for a longer period. Studies aren’t exactly sure why this is, but it may be something to do with warm temperatures encouraging blood vessels to dilate in your feet, improving circulation and making you feel relaxed. Whatever the reason, wearing socks in bed is a good idea, especially in the winter! If socks in bed just aren’t your thing, you can also pick up an electric blanket with extra foot warmth to help you sleep better.

Stay Out of Your Bedroom Until It’s Bedtime

Studies have shown that people sleep better when they have a strong mental association between sleeping and their bedroom. This means you should try and stay out of your bedroom during the day unless you’re tidying up. Try not to watch too much TV, play game consoles, or answer work emails while you’re in your bedroom. Keep your bedroom for sleeping, and treat yourself to some plush carpet and thick blackout curtains to create a relaxing environment.