Want Better Sleep?
Not getting enough sleep? Don’t wake up feeling rested? Waking up multiple times a night? You’re not alone! You may be one of the tens of millions of people who struggle with their quality and quantity of sleep! There are two common routes to improving your sleep: medications and behavior changes, and most individuals may benefit from a combination of the two. Speak with your doctor to learn more about medication options that may be helpful! In the meantime, let’s take a look at some options for behavior change that may improve sleep!
Why is sleep important? Because it’s restorative and necessary to feel healthy! Ever tried to have a productive day after getting just a few hours of sleep? Think of sleep as the brain and body’s chance to recharge. Your body needs sleep to help it reduce stress levels, decrease your sensitivity to our emotions, maintain a healthy immune system, and maintain physical health and wellness.
But if it’s so important, why is it so hard to get good sleep? Well, lots of things can impact sleep, from stress and mental illness to diet and exercise habits. So, it’s important that you have good sleep hygiene habits to help reduce ineffective behaviors that lead to poorer sleep, more stress, and worse mental and physical health. Before we dig into some of those ways to change our behaviors, let’s look at some basics of good sleep habits.
Most people need 7 - 10 hours of sleep each night
Any parent of a newborn or owner of a puppy will tell you that not getting enough sleep can lead to difficulty managing your mood, confusion, and irritability. Over the long-term, this can also contribute to more serious health issues like heart disease, depression, and musculo-skeletal issues.
In addition to sleeping too little, too much sleep can be disruptive to your circadian rhythm and cause extended sleep issues and a decline in health. Sleeping too much can contribute to negative effects such as mental slowness, more physical illness, decreased metabolism, and muscle deconditioning.
Keep to your schedule! Sleep hygiene habits must be practiced with consistency to see improvements in your sleep and health! It takes time and intentionality for your body and brain to adjust to new habits, so stick with it!
Experiment with some of these strategies to improve your sleep!
In the mornings:
Try to get up at the same time everyday.
Get out of bed shortly after you wake up. This teaches your brain that the bed is just for sleeping and intimacy.
Open your blinds or use a sun lamp to jolt your circadian rhythm and let your body know it’s time to wake up.
In the afternoons:
Avoid naps if possible. If a nap is necessary, keep it to 10-20 minutes so you do not disrupt your circadian rhythm and confuse your body.
Exercise during the day to feel tired at night. However, try to avoid strenuous activity for at least 4-6 hours before you go to sleep.
Try to eat dinner at least 2-3 hours before bed. If you have to eat close to bedtime, use moderation.
Avoid caffeine after 4 - 6pm.
Avoid alcohol a few hours before bed to ensure you get more restorative sleep.
In the evenings:
Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and with minimal noise. This means turning off the tv or radio too!
Minimize what you do in bed. Keep it to sleep and sex, and avoid eating, doing work, being on your phone, or other activities so your brain associates your bed with sleep.
Again, consistency is key! Try to go to bed at the same time everyday.
Build your evening routine and engage in it everyday. This signals to your brain and body that it’s time to start winding down. Things to include in your evening routine: hygiene behaviors like washing your face or brushing your teeth (avoid showers though, they tend to activate the body more!); taking medications; doing something relaxing like reading, watching a calm tv show, or listening to a podcast. Find ways to get your body and mind to “chill out”.
Things to avoid in the evening: exercise, energizing tv shows, and arguments. These will get your adrenaline going and keep you up longer! Also, try to avoid any electronic devices that have blue light, like laptops, phones, or tablets. That blue light tells your brain to stay awake longer and makes it harder to get sleepy.
Don’t force yourself to try to sleep. It can be incredibly frustrating to keep telling yourself to fall asleep when the brain and body aren’t ready. If you find yourself struggling to fall asleep, get out of bed and do a calming activity for 20 minutes to see if that triggers sleepiness. Try reading, meditating, or journaling. Again, avoid screens if possible!
If rumination or racing thoughts are keeping you up, try engaging in some grounding exercises to bring your attention out of those thoughts and into your body or environment. Try observing 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things your sense, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste. Alternatively, try categorizing all the items around you into the colors of the rainbow. Or just bring your attention to deep breathing.
If you try these strategies out for longer than a month and you’re still not seeing any changes or improvement in sleep, talk with your physician about other options. If you would like to talk more about sleep habits, want more accountability around building sleep hygiene, or are looking to learn other ways to improve your sleep through behavioral changes, feel free to reach out to CPGR to set up an appointment!
