By, Erick Fountain
Marketing Support, Benefit Intelligence
Sleep is vital to your health and wellness because it is a time when your brain and body engage in vital growth and repair. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to function as a healthy human being without proper sleep. So how do you wake up feeling refreshed and actually rested?
To get a better night’s sleep, we must first understand a couple sleep related concepts and how they affect your quality of sleep.
Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that your body uses to carry out essential functions, basically a biological clock for your body. Such a clock determines what time you get tired each evening and what time you wake up each day. This biological clock craves routine and consistency.
Your sleep-wake cycle is your body’s circadian rhythm for sleep. Having a healthy sleep-wake cycle means our body sends signals to keep us alert and awake throughout the day and to make us tired and sleepy at nighttime. You can maintain healthy sleep-wake cycle by sticking to a consistent sleep schedule and getting enough sunlight or bright light exposure throughout the day.
Your sleep schedule. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is one of the most important aspects of consistently getting a good night’s rest. This means getting ready for bed, going to bed, going to sleep at the same time every night, and waking up at the same time every morning. One great place to start with sticking to your sleep schedule is to begin your nightly pre-bedtime rituals (brushing teeth, bathing, brushing hair, etc.) at the same time every night.
Determine your sleep schedule. What time do you want to wake up each morning? Determine what time you want to wake up every day so you know what time you must go to bed for adequate sleep. For example, if you want to wake up at 6 am then you should be falling asleep at 10pm for a full 8 hours of sleep. If you want to fall asleep by 10pm then you should consider how long it takes you to fall asleep to determine what time you should lay in bed. For me, it takes about 30 minutes so I would need to get into bed at 9:30pm if I want to wake up at 6 am. From there, determine how long it takes you to get ready for bed so you know what time you need to start brushing your teeth. Let’s say it takes you 15 minutes to take a shower and brush your teeth, this means you should start getting ready for bed at 9:15pm. Set aside a little bit of time before your pre-bedtime routine to mentally prepare for sleep. For example, this could be reading from 9:00pm – 9:15pm.
Keep a sleep journal. This step isn’t completely necessary but it will help you evaluate and visualize progress towards your sleep schedule goals. Keeping a record of your sleep will allow you to calculate total sleep time and can help you identify sleep disruptions and other factors that can impact your quality of sleep. If you go to a sleep doctor, they will probably ask you to keep a sleep diary so consider starting a journal now if you believe you have a sleep disorder and plan on seeking medical help in the future. Here is more information and a template for sleep log.
Make changes gradually. If your current sleep schedule is all over the place, or non-existent, that is okay. You will not be able to change your sleep schedule overnight. The most effective tactic is to make small changes slowly as they will eventually snowball into greater changes. For example, for the first three or four nights, go to bed at 11:45pm, then 11:30pm for the next few days. Keep adjusting your sleep schedule like this by working back in 15-minute increments until you hit your goal bedtime.
Only use the bed for sleep, sickness, and intimacy. Don’t use your bed for anything else. Don’t read, write, eat, watch TV or Netflix, Tweet, Facebook, text, talk on the phone, or play games in bed. You do not want to subconsciously associate the bed with working or anything else besides sleeping. Don’t lay or nap in bed during the daytime, try the couch instead. If you lay down to go to sleep and are having trouble falling asleep it’s best to get out of bed after lying down, don’t go on your phone. If you can’t fall asleep in 20-30 minutes you can try getting out of bed and reading, writing, doing something else in another part of the house before trying to fall asleep again. You want your mind to connect the bed with sleep and you want your bed to conjure thoughts and feelings related to sleep so it is best to remove yourself from the bed when you can’t fall asleep before trying again.
Go to bed when you’re tired. If you’re feeling tired it is best to go to bed immediately. Your body is telling you that it needs to recharge and repair itself and you may miss your window of tiredness and catch a second wind.
Optimize your bedroom environment. Is your bed comfortable? If not, try a mattress topper, different pillows, or different sheets/blankets. Freshly washed sheets and pillowcases always help me sleep better. Is your bedroom comfortable? Make sure it isn’t too hot or cold in your bedroom. Get some blackout curtains if there are any pesky streetlights that you can see shining through your blinds.
Try lowering the temperature. Your body’s temperature shifts during a 24-hour period and lower temps are optimal for good quality sleep. You may feel restless and unable to fall asleep in a room that is too warm. You can lower your sleeping temp by turning on the AC, turning on a fan or two, and swapping out the bedding when the seasons change. Warm showers or baths before bed may also help you fall asleep, or they may not. Some experts say to take a lukewarm shower before bed and some experts say to take a hot shower before bed but never cold showers. Cold showers stimulate the mind and body, making them more suitable for the mornings. Warm showers at night can help you get ready for bed because although your body temperature initially increases, your body will lose a lot of that heat when you get out of the shower. This large temperature drop in your body’s core temperature can trigger your body to send the “sleepy signals” and improve your quality of sleep.
Turn off, or cover, all lighting. Low lighting means no phone, TV, laptop, or any other electronic lights or screens. You may even find it helpful to turn, or block, your alarm clock’s bright light. Blue light filters on your computer or cellphone may help you fall asleep, or they may not, but one thing is certain: you are not sleeping if you are using a screen. Just try to limit screens before going to sleep and avoid using anything with a screen in bed altogether. You shouldn’t see any lights from your bed. If you have trouble staying off your phone while in bed, try putting your phone out of reach or on the other side of the room.
Increase bright light exposure during the day. Light plays an important role in our circadian rhythm, as your circadian clock uses light and dark signals to determine whether your body should be active or preparing for sleep. Bright light therapy, also known as phototherapy, is a great way to keep your circadian rhythm in check as well as elevate your mood and energy levels. Bright light therapy is exactly what it sounds like, you simply sit, or work, in front of a bright light. You should aim for 15 minutes of bright light exposure when waking up in the morning. If you have trouble waking up, or sleeping through alarms, I recommend this light therapy alarm clock that I use. This alarm clock mimics a sunrise as it begins slowly brightening 30 minutes before your alarm is set to go off. This alarm might also help you if you are a heavy sleeper and sometimes sleep through thunderstorms or alarm clocks, it worked for me. A bright light box or clock is also great for early mornings when its still dark and cloudy/rainy mornings, when there is barely any sunlight out. Bright light first thing in the morning is a great way to get your circadian rhythm tuned and calibrated.
Stop drinking caffeine late in the day (4-6 hours before bed). Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, some prescription and nonprescription drugs including some common migraine and pain relievers.
Reduce irregular or long naps. If you must, try to keep naps to 20 minutes or less and try to nap in the early part of the day.
Exercise regularly. Physical activity can boost your energy level during the day and make you tired in the evenings. While a sedentary lifestyle can leave you feeling exhausted and sleepy throughout the day. Exercise is important to living a healthy lifestyle and goes hand in hand with quality sleep. The question here is, “Should I work out in the mornings or evenings?”. The answer is whichever your body responds to better and what fits your schedule. Working out in the morning is an amazing way to wake up and get the day started. If morning workouts leave you feeling drained throughout the day then try going in the evening. Some people should not work out at night because they get too energized and pumped up after and can’t fall asleep. Do what works best for your schedule and see how your body responds then adjust accordingly.
Rule out a sleep disorder. Feel like you’ve tried everything and still aren’t getting quality sleep? Schedule a doctor’s appointment to rule out any possible sleep disorders. Some common sleep disorders include sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless reg syndrome. There are also circadian rhythm sleep disorders that occur when your sleep-wake cycle is desynchronized, basically a body clock disorder. You may need to undergo a sleep study to determine the cause of poor sleep.
Getting good quality sleep is vital to both your health and for getting the most out of your day. Creating and maintaining a consistent sleep routine with healthy sleep habits will help you to become the best person you can be by starting with being well rested. The quality of your sleep is the product of all the little healthy habits you develop and do every day and evening.