6 Sleep Tips For Getting The Sleep Your Body Needs

Alright, let’s dive right into it. Getting enough sleep at night is TOUGH work. Even if it seems impossible to get enough sleep at night, be intentional about trying one of these sleep tips. Don’t let the sleep tips overwhelm you, choose what seems attainable for YOU.

Sleep Tips To Get The 8 Hours of Rest You Deserve

Workout Early In the Day

Let’s define “early in the day”, yeah? No one is saying that 5:30am spin class is required (unless you’re a morning person, then more power to you) for an early workout. But maybe 5:30pm, right after work, is early enough in your day to make it count. Or lunch time. Try to avoid the 8:30pm trek to the gym, unless you want to be awake for hours after.

Create a Nighttime Routine and Stick To It

Seems damn near impossible to stick to a routine. No two days are the same, no two nights are the same… I get it, trust me. But if you can make a cautious effort to go to bed at the same time every night- and wake up a the same time every morning- your body will thank you. Remember it takes 21 days to make a habit stick, so don’t be discouraged if you slip up at first.

Shut Down Your Screen

Time to break the habit of scrolling through social as your bedtime ritual. The blue light from any technology (also talking to you, TV-on-while-I-fall-asleep friends) can mess with your sleep. So turn your phone on do not disturb mode, dim your alarm clock, turn off your TV, step away from your laptop and try to get a good night sleep sans-technology as your security blanket.

Download a Sleep App

REM sleep is the goal, yeah? So why not give yourself all the tools to get the most of it? White noise is shown to help you stay in REM sleep longer. There are so many apps at the tip of our fingertips (literally), so I suggest starting by downloading one. Notice a difference, maybe it’s time to invest in a sleep machine. Here are a few popular sleep apps to try.

Limit the Caffeine Intake

So here’s the deal, we all love our coffee, Diet Coke, Crystal Light, pick your poison, but we need to limit it. Maybe for you that’s only one cup of coffee in the morning, and you forget about that 3pm cup of coffee pick me up. For me, it’s not drinking 3 high energy Crystal Light packets before noon. Caffeine can stay in your bloodstream for up to 8 hours, so just because you think you need another dose, you probably don’t. Instead of reaching for the caffeine refill, take a walk outside (or at least away from your desk) and get some fresh air while getting your blood flowing.

Journal Before Bed

I know it might sound a little silly, but keeping a notebook and pen next to my bed has helped my brain relax in the evening. Whether it’s a list of things you need to do, ideas spinning in your head, or a true Dear Diary journal session, it’s helpful. Your mind will thank you later.