10 Ways To Get A Better Night’s Sleep

Can’t seem to get a good night’s sleep? Same here. Ever since my Grandma died I’ve been having trouble both getting to sleep and waking up in the night, mainly with nightmares and memories. I guess when dealing with grief, that is to be expected. If, however, the reason for your sleepless nights isn’t obvious (i.e. unlike me you don’t also have a snoring, snorty pug dog in your bed), consider trying some of these methods to help you sleep better.

Get more sunlight during the day

Getting more sunlight during the day helps your body to more accurately determine day from night, helping you to produce more sleep hormones later in the evening. Avoid spending all days indoors – find an excuse to get out even if it’s just to get some fresh air on your lunch break.

Be more active during the day

Similarly, being active during the day will tire out your body and help it to produce sleep hormones at night. Try to fit some exercise into every day. This doesn’t have to be a full workout – going for a walk or simply doing housework could be enough to get some physical activity into your day. Avoid exercising too late in the evening as this could prevent your body and brain from getting to sleep.

Take a hot bath in the evening

A hot bath is great for relieving stress – which could be keeping you up at night. The hot water relaxes muscles and flushes away cortisol (the stress hormone) by flooding the body with endorphins. Try incorporating this into your bedtime routine.

Limit screen time before bed

Blue light from digital screens can trick the brain into thinking that it’s still daytime, delaying the production of sleep hormones. Try making it a challenge to not look at any screens an hour before going to bed. Bedtime habits like reading a book, listening to music or having a bath could be better for helping you to relax.

Avoid caffeine late at night

Caffeine is a stimulant and it will keep you up at night. Coffee is the most obvious culprit when it comes to caffeine. Non-herbal tea and chocolate also contain caffeine and could prevent you from getting to sleep.

Go easy on the booze

If you have trouble getting to sleep, alcohol can certainly help to knock you out. However, it could make your sleep quality worse. When under the influence of alcohol, your body is unable to get into REM sleep – the stage of sleep when you dream the most and when your memory and focus is restored. Without completing your full sleep cycle, you’ll wake up feeling groggier.

Eat the right foods before bed

Eating certain foods before you go to bed can help you to sleep better. Bananas, oats and honey all contain ingredients that can help to produce melatonin (the sleep hormone), making them great foods to eat before going to bed. Turkey is also known to contain tryptophan – an ingredient that can help you to get to sleep. You should try to avoid spicy and fatty foods just before bed as they are more difficult to digest.

Consider sleep supplements

There are many sleep supplements on the market such as magnesium that can be worth taking at night to help you sleep. For severe cases of insomnia, doctors may be able to prescribe medication to help you get to sleep.

Use sleep-inducing scents

Certain scents such as jasmine and lavender may also help you to get to sleep. You could try growing houseplants that produce these scents in your bedroom. Alternatively, you could light scented candles or use an oil diffuser. You may even be able to wash your bed linen with scented detergents to help you get to sleep.

Upgrade your mattress

It’s possible that you could be sleeping on a mattress that isn’t suitable for your sleeping style. Certain mattresses could also be better for certain types of chronic pain (firm mattresses often help people with back pain to sleep more comfortably). You can find guides on how to choose your perfect mattress online. Bedding such as pillows and sheets can also make a difference (some people sleep better with less pillows and some people prefer cooler sheets).