How to Get a Good Night Sleep: My Top Tips

Sleep is everything.

Sleep is where the magic happens.

A few nights of tossing and turning in your bed while attempting to fall asleep can have a huge effect on you the following day. Bad sleeping patterns have a profound impact on productivity, emotional health and even your weight.

Lack of good quality sleep can directly affect your mental and physical health and your energy. But how to get a good night sleep without having to use medication or specialist therapies?

Here are my Proven tips to Sleep better at night

• Keep in sync with your body’s natural sleep-wake rhythm.
  
  Try to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. If you keep a regular schedule, even at the weekend, you will feel more energised than if you sleep the same number of hours at different times.
  
  This helps to set your body’s internal clock ⏰ and give you optimal sleep. Choose a bedtime when you are tired and allow yourself to wake naturally - this is your body’s way of telling you what works.
  

• Be smart about your daytime naps.
  
  Lovely as they are, they can throw the body out of balance. If you take an afternoon nap and wake up in the night, it can make things worse, and it will be a habit you need to break.
  
  It’s natural to feel drowsy after dinner, so try to remain awake by doing a few simple tasks such as meal prep or getting your clothes ready for the next morning. Journal your day and think about all the achievements.
  

• Brighten up your daily routine. Literally!
  
  Get more exposure to natural sunlight in the morning. Take your coffee near a window, eat outside or take a morning walk.
  
  Use a light therapy box to help your body differentiate between day and night. Let the natural light into your home or workspace.
  

• Avoid the blue light.
  
  Switch off any electronic devices, especially at least an hour before bed. Say no to late-night television and get into a new routine of reading or meditating before falling asleep.
  
  Studies show that the blue light emitted from electronic devices suppresses melatonin secretion, a hormone that influences circadian rhythms.
  

• Create a sleep-friendly environment.
  
  Make sure that your sleep environment is cool and dark to promote melatonin production for the sleep cycle. Ensure your bed and pillows are comfortable and that your sleepwear is loose and soft to your skin.
  
  Reserve your bed for sleeping and, if you’re in a relationship, connecting with your partner. Winding down by cuddling definitely promotes a better nights sleep 💤 Keep the noise to a minimum and use earplugs or a sound machine to eliminate any disturbing sounds.

• If you wake up at night.
  
  Stay out of your head. Make relaxation and not sleep your goal. Visualisation is an excellent tool to calm the mind and body down, so imagine you’re somewhere warm, quiet and peaceful.

  Don’t be tempted to read or interact with your phone. Postpone any worries and brainstorms; make a brief note to remove them from your mind if need be. Count numbers in your head (or sheep if you’re old-school!) or tap your fingers together to help soothe the mind.
  
  Use a deep breathing exercise. Try to inhale slowly into your abdominal muscles and slowly breast through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on the feeling in your body and breathing exercises to slow down your mind. Continue this until your mind is absent of thoughts.

Getting a good nights sleep may seem like a dream. But it is possible, and the way to achieve this is to analyse and improve your day to day routine.

Any unhelpful and unhealthy behavioural patterns may lead to sleep deprivation and have long term effects on your wellness. Remember that you are in control. Working on your daily habits and lifestyle choices can profoundly impact affect your sleep quality.