A good night’s rest is a cheat code. Your mind is clearer, you have more energy, and everything seems a little bit easier. But actually getting a full, restful night of sleep seems more difficult than ever. We all have so much going on, that our sleep tends to be the first victim of our busy lives. Given this modern reality, we’ll go through 5 scientifically proven, realistic ways to sleep better.
Even though we know good sleep enhances everything else we do, the first key is to actually make it a priority. If you don’t care about it, none of the following advice matters.
- Get some sunlight in the morning
- Exert yourself physically and mentally
- Unwind – no devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime
- Sleep in a dark room
- Upgrade your sleeping situation
Get some sunlight in the morning
Between work at home life or office life, many jobs are not designed for people to be outside much during the day. If you have an indoor job, studies show the benefits of getting outside for at least 20-30 minutes sometime in the first half of the day. Doing this will enhance your sleep by setting your body’s internal circadian rhythm, which will help you release melatonin when it is time to sleep at night.
How can you create this habit? Take your morning coffee outside, take a walking phone meeting, take a midmorning walk break, or do some work on your porch or at an outside table at your office (if available). You must get direct sunlight on as much of your skin as you can (keeping decency rules in mind), as light through a window does not have the same effect. This practice will also positively benefit your vitamin D levels and testosterone levels.
Aside from the benefits of falling asleep more easily, it boosts your mood when you actually get some sunlight on your skin.
Exert yourself physically and mentally
We all know the kind of deep, restful sleep we get after a day of hard physical and/or mental work. Getting the most out of yourself each day will create the conditions for deep, restful sleep, so you have the energy to do it again.
If you don’t have a physical workout or activity you consistently enjoy, you should try to incorporate something into your daily routine. Here is a list of workout hacks if you have a busy schedule. As a bonus, taking up a regular physical activity you enjoy will enhance your mental wellness and longevity.
As far as mental exertion, aim to get the most out of yourself everyday. You should give 100% at your work, keep a clean house, attend to your family, maintain social connections, and work on a hobby you love or something educational to better yourself. If you can keep up with at least 3-4 of these on a daily basis, you’ll be both fulfilled and wiped out at the end of the day.
Putting in a bare minimum effort at work and binge watching Netflix until midnight will definitely not create the most restful sleep, if this is your daily habit.
Unwind – no devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime
This one can be tough. We’ve all been scrolling our phones for too long at night (or playing video games, or watching TV…), then we realize what time it is and immediately try to go to sleep – only to encounter a racing mind that won’t allow you to rest.
This constant barrage of content and blue light is not allowing you to unwind. Blue light signals to your brain that it’s still sunny outside, which doesn’t allow your body to release melatonin, which makes it impossible to fall asleep.
Avoid any blue light producing devices within 30 minutes of your bedtime. This means no TV, no phone, and no computer. Also, it’s probably helpful to set your computer and phone to a blue light reduction mode past a certain time (most have a setting to sync up with sundown).
The earlier you can correctly signal to your brain that it’s getting dark, the easier you will be able to fall asleep.
Including some other activities in a night time routine, in place of staring at your devices, can help signal to your brain to unwind. Try reading, listening to a podcast, or meditating.
Sleep in a dark room
Speaking of light, it has been shown that sleeping in a darker room allows you to fall asleep easier and to get more restful sleep. Which makes a ton of sense given that our ancestors had no choice but to deal with the dark before sleep.
To pull this off, you can install blackout curtains, reduce or remove all ambient lights in your room (clock lights, blinking lights from a screen, light coming in from under the door, etc…), or wear a sleep mask (last resort if you just can’t remove light from your room). This should be a pretty easy, realistic way to sleep better.
Upgrade your sleeping situation
This solution can cost you some money, but if you haven’t changed your mattress within the last 5-7 years, or if you know your mattress is subpar, it might be time to upgrade. You can also look to upgrade your sheets, especially if you’re still using the same set from college or your early 20s. A high-quality pair of sheets will allow for better temperature control and comfort.
A new mattress can definitely set you back a few (thousand) bucks. Some even have temperature control built in! Even though prices for a quality mattress are steep, remember that you do spend 1/3 of your life there. Investing what you can is not really a waste of money if it enhances everything else in your life. Do some research, try some mattresses out (many DTC mattress companies have a return policy), and get the best mattress you can reasonably afford. You will not regret it.
The internet holds a lot more advice on how to sleep better, including pills, devices, and other hacks. We’ve found these five to be the most realistic ways to sleep better. If you can incorporate these habits into your daily routine, you will see secondary benefits AND reap the rewards of more restful sleep.
