I love to sleep. The problem is, I never seem to get enough of it. Either I’m getting into bed too late, or I doze off on the early side, only to wake up multiple times in the middle of the night.
Can you relate?
I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t want to be an insomniac for the rest of my life!
Instead, I decided to take action and figure out how to get better sleep. But before I dive in and share with you the things I discovered once I embarked on this mission, let’s talk a bit about sleep.
Why Is Sleep So Important?
I truly believe that above all else, sleep is the foundation of living a healthy, productive, and energetic life. If we don’t get enough sleep, everything else starts to fall apart, like dominos.
Think about it. When you get a full 8 hours of sleep (or however long you need to feel well-rested), don’t you feel like you can conquer the world? I know that on the occasions I wake up feeling replenished and restored, everything about my day goes better. From my mood to my eating habits to my ability to focus, my sleep has an impact on all of it.
But don’t just take my word for it. There are plenty of scientific studies to back-up the benefits of sleep. This includes boosting your immune system, preventing weight gain, strengthening your heart and circulatory system, improving your memory, and increasing your productivity. All of these things sound pretty important to me!
So how can we fix our sleep problems so we can get a better night of sleep? I’ve been testing out a few different things to see what helps.
Through (very unscientific) trial and error, I’ve made a few changes to my bedtime routine that have helped me get better sleep, and now I want to share those tips with you, so keep scrolling down to learn more!
A Quick Caveat: I am not a doctor, health practitioner, or expert. All of the tips I’m sharing here are based on anecdotal evidence of things that have helped me with sleep. If you are experiencing severe insomnia or other sleep-related issues, please contact your doctor to get professional help.
Also, this post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of them, I may earn a small commission (for which I’m very grateful!) at no extra cost to you. You can view my disclosure here.
How to Get Better Sleep
1. Be Mindful of What You Eat and Drink
As I embarked on this mission to discover how to get better sleep, I realized one thing pretty quickly. What we ingest during the day has a much bigger impact on the quality of our sleep than we might realize.
Let’s start with caffeinated beverages. For me, that’s coffee. I love it, and yes, might even be addicted to it. (Any other coffee lovers out there?!) Giving it up is not an option for me. However, I know that my 3-4 cups a day habit is probably a big part of the reason I’m not sleeping at night.
Now, I only have a cup or two early in the morning, and that’s it. No more afternoon lattes unless it’s decaf. Worst case scenario – if I’m really tired and need an energy boost – I’ll do a matcha latte since it’s significantly less caffeine than a cup of coffee.
I’ve also changed my eating habits. I am trying to eat earlier in the evening and avoid heavy and rich foods at night, which can take longer to digest. Instead, I eat my biggest meal of the day at lunch, opting for lighter fare in the evenings. I also try to wait 3 hours after eating before going to bed, so my body isn’t still working hard to digest food when it’s time to sleep.
Related: Here’s What Happened When I Tried a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Cleanse
2. Set a Bedtime Routine and Stick To It
Did you know that we all have a natural sleep-wake cycle, called our circadian rhythm? With the release of melatonin, this natural sleep-wake cycle is what tells our body it’s time to go to sleep or wake up. Syncing up with our circadian rhythm is one of the most effective ways to get better sleep.
I’m pretty sure that this has been one of the biggest challenges for me when it comes to getting better sleep. Because I’m a freelancer, I often work different hours, so in general, I don’t have a set schedule. Unfortunately, this unpredictability in my work life has carried over to my bedroom routine as well.
Evidence shows that the best way for us to harness our natural cycle is to set a sleep schedule and stick to it. That means going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Now that I know how important this is to help me sleep better, I’m really making an effort to stick to a sleep schedule and it is working.
My new bedroom routine is to get into bed by 10 pm, with lights out by 10:30 pm. I even set an alarm on my Fitbit to remind me when it’s time to start winding down for bed. Keeping a consistent nighttime routine has been a struggle for me, but the more I stick to it, the more I see the benefits, so I’m not giving up!
3. Use a CBD Product To help You Sleep
Another change I’ve made to my routine that has been super helpful with getting better sleep is using CBD products. After trial and error with many different brands, I found the right fit with Equilibria.
I really love Equilibria because a dosage specialist has worked with me to figure out a CBD routine that is specific to my needs. For the past month, I’ve been taking a combination of Daily Drops and Softgels and it has made such a difference. Not only do Equilibria’s CBD products help me get better sleep, but they also help with my anxiety during the day.
My CBD routine includes Daily Drops once or twice during the day, and then at night, I take one Softgel about an hour before I’m ready to go to bed. So far, these products have been super helpful, and given all the craziness going on in the world right now, Equilibria couldn’t have come into my life at a more appropriate time!
If you’re curious about trying out Equilibria’s CBD products yourself, use my discount code letsbemerry for 15% off of your first non-subscription order, or 20% off your first subscription order.
Related: Curious to know more about CBD in general? Check out this post – CBD, Is it the New Miracle Elixir to Cure Everything?
4. Plan Out Your Next Day the Night Before
One of the big reasons I have trouble staying asleep is anxiety. And most of my late-night ruminations are nagging thoughts about my to-do list or my schedule.
To change this pattern, I’ve started to go through my to-do list and schedule for the next day, the night before. I know it’s not the most fun thing to do but I promise that this is so helpful. Jotting everything down on a piece of paper or in your calendar will alleviate those late-night nagging thoughts that you forgot something. And ultimately, that means a better night of sleep!
If this tip feels like a stretch for you, try to make it more fun and appealing by getting a beautiful journal or notebook to use for this task. Heck, light a candle too for some ambiance. Do whatever you need to do in order to make this feel like a self-care project that is helping you improve your sleep.
5. No Phones or Electronics in the Bedroom
Honestly, if you only remember one tip from this post, it should be this one. If you want to consistently get better sleep, keep your phone and electronics out of the bedroom, period.
Our phones are such a distraction. They already have a hold on us for most of the day. Why would we want to allow that at night too, when we’re trying to sleep?
Think about it. How is it possible to get better sleep when you have email! social media! breaking news! weather alerts! and more, vying for your attention? After spending all of your waking hours bombarded by digital information and media, your brain needs a rest.
And if that’s not enough to convince you, there is plenty of scientific evidence that the blue light emitted from electronic devices prevents your body from producing melatonin, which as I mentioned above, is critical for our sleep-wake cycle.
Unless you’re a doctor and need to be reached for emergencies, there’s no reason to keep your phone in the bedroom. Instead, do what I do. Charge it in your kitchen, or if you’re in a studio, the opposite side of the room. And switch it to do not disturb mode.
Oh, and if your excuse is that you use the alarm on your phone to wake you up, there’s a simple solution. Buy an old school alarm clock!
6. Make Your Bedroom A Sanctuary for Sleeping
Another thing you can do to improve your sleep is to create a well-designed bedroom that you’ll want to escape to at the end of the day. Whether you prefer dark and moody or airy and bright, some simple changes can go a long way in making your bedroom feel more cozy and tranquil.
Try to remove unnecessary clutter and extra pieces of furniture from your room, especially your desk (unless you have no other choice). The last thing you want to be reminded of when you’re trying to fall asleep is work!
The same goes for other pieces of furniture (like the chair in the corner) that become a dumping ground for all of the things you haven’t had a chance to put away. A pile of clothing on a chair might not seem like a big deal but it can distract and prevent you from falling asleep.
Finally, investing in the right bed linens can have a huge impact on the quality of your sleep. Cotton is the most common choice and for good reason. It’s a durable, breathable, and soft fabric that is quite affordable and easy to clean. My husband and I invested in a couple of sets of Brooklinen cotton sheets last year and it was one of the best investments we made.
When colder weather hits, try flannel, another form of cotton, for a cozy feel. And for those of you want to splurge on something more luxurious, silk is a cool and sensuous fabric that’s also naturally hypoallergenic.
Are You Ready To Try These Tips to Get Better Sleep?
So are you ready to get the best sleep of your life?
I hope these 6 tips help you create a better bedtime sleep routine.
I can’t stress enough how important sleep is for our health and wellbeing.
And the other bonus? It puts you on track to have a great morning routine too.
Start implementing some of these changes to your bedtime routine and let me know how it goes.
Sweet dreams!
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