As you saw in our previous post, sleep is crucial to reaching your health and fitness goals and just health in general. But it doesn’t always come as easy as we would like. So, lets talk about some ways that we can help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up refreshed.
Creating better sleep habits will be a great place to start when it comes to a better nights sleep. One of the best things you can do if you are having trouble falling asleep would be get the screens out of your face. Yea, I know, TikTok is really hard to put down but the sooner you let your mind get into night mode, the faster you will fall asleep! When we have these lights in our eyes, our brain thinks that it’s still day time and this can trick us into feeling more awake and takes more time to wind back down. Meditation is another great way to get your mind to calm down, unwind, and to get your phone out of your face. These two things will be a great benefit when it comes time for you to fall asleep.
Another great habit is going to bed at a consistent time. A sleep schedule can help to set your circadian rhythm and will lead to you consistently being more tired around the same time every night. You will notice it will be easier to fall asleep quicker than before and this will also help with waking up! If you are able to fall asleep and wake up at consistent times you will be able to wake up more energized and less groggy than before. Plus, avoiding the snooze button will help when it comes to falling asleep the next night! So wake up, don’t hit the snooze button, and put your feet on the floor. It’s time to get up and attack the day.
We all knew this one was coming, exercise! Exercise can help you to expend that extra energy and wear your body out. I recommend doing your workout earlier in the day but if you are doing it later, stay away from the stimulants. Caffeine will keep you up longer and decrease your sleep quality. If you are able to get in some intense exercise daily, your sleep will not only come easier but should be deep and restful while your body rebuilds itself.
Have you ever had a meal and right after thought, I could totally fall asleep right now! Eating a little food before bed can help you to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, especially for those of you on a caloric deficit. DO NOT eat a huge meal before bed. Just eat enough to be pleasantly satisfied and not too hungry or full to sleep. This is great for those of you who wake up at 1am and raid the fridge! Eat a little before bed, work it into your daily calories, and you will feel much better after getting a full nights sleep without any interruptions.
Cut back on the water and alcohol. Now I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be drinking water, you should be trying to get in around a gallon per day. You also need to keep in mind your bed time. I recommend really decreasing your water intake after about 5pm. This gives you time to get all of those would be pee breaks out of the way so you can sleep all night consistently. When it comes to alcohol, your quality of sleep is much lower, leading you to feeling exhausted when you wake up. It is also a diuretic and can lead to light night bathroom stops, again interrupting your sleep.
When it comes to waking up, please stop setting 10 alarms for 5am, 5:05, 5:10, 5:15, 5:20…. YOU ARE NOT GETTING GOOD SLEEP!!!!! Save yourself the hour of waking up every 5 mins to hit the snooze and just set your alarm for 6am. Then when it’s 6am wake up, turn off the alarm, put your feet on the floor, and get up. It starts your day with the maximum sleep possible and with a win! So claim that win and stop letting the alarm rob you of your sleep.
I know these can sound kind of common sense, but I hear of people making these mistakes all the time. Stop torturing your body and actually give it what it needs, sleep. If you need to, set an alarm to tell you its 30 mins until bed time so it’s time to start winding down. This can start your meditation or journaling or reading time. Set the same alarms every day for waking up, even if you don’t need to be up that early (it’s ok to take a day off here and there). Focus on setting your bedroom up for sleep by keeping it dark and cool. And for the love of god, spend some money on your bedding. Stop sleeping on that 1990 waterbed. Get a good mattress and sheets and comforter. Sleep is so important, spend the money on it please! So, take the time right now to get things set up. Set your alarms now and get started sleeping how you should be.
