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Trouble Sleeping? 10 Tips to Fix Your Sleep Issues
Sleep is an essential part of good health. If youâre suffering from poor quality sleep, struggling to fall asleep or experiencing insomnia - applying the 10 tips below will help you get back to achieving a satisfyingly refreshing sleep.
1. Have a consistent sleep & wake up time
Of all the tips to achieving quality sleep, this is the most important. Waking up and going to bed at random times each day is one of the most sure-fire ways to mess up your circadian rhythm. If your sleep is all over the place, set an alarm each day for the next 1 - 2 weeks to go to bed, and wake up at the same time.
2. Have a morning and night time routine
Having a consistent routine in the morning helps your body learn and know that itâs day time. This can be as simple as opening the curtains, going to the bathroom and brushing your teeth. Getting sunlight directly on your skin in the morning is a great way to help set your circadian rhythm - doing this will have a major impact on your ability to fall asleep at night. A night time routine helps your body learn and know the rhythm of when youâre winding down at night. An example could be to have some chamomile tea, brush your teeth and then read a book or do night time stretches.
3. No meals at least 2 - 3 hours before bed
When you eat your body needs to work to digest the foods. If your body is busy digesting a heavy late-night meal, itâs going to have a hard time falling and staying asleep. Consume your final meal for the day at least 2 - 3 hours before going to bed.
4. Avoid blue light in the evenings
Avoid any screens one hour before bed. Fluorescent lights, white light sources, LEDâs, phones, computers and electronic screens all emit blue light. Warm light sources are okay. Blue light signals to your brain that itâs still daytime and to stay alert. Your body produces melatonin (a hormone that helps you fall asleep) at night but if youâre constantly being hit with blue light, your body decreases itâs melatonin production - making it harder to fall asleep. Realistically it can be difficult to completely avoid blue light in the evenings. A few things you can do to help are:
- Install the f.lux app on your computer
- Use blue light filters (Twilight app for Android. Night Shift feature on iPhones)
- Wear blue light blocking glasses (look for ones that offer 95%+ blue light blocking)
The apps for your phone and computer wonât completely block out the blue light, so either reduce your evening screen usage or wear blue light blocking glasses.
5. Donât have caffeine too late
If youâre having any type of caffeine such as coffee, green tea, black teas, etc - consume your last dose of caffeine at least 10 hours before your bed time. You may no longer feel the effects of caffeine at night, but it can still impact your ability to fall asleep.
6. Setup the right sleep environment
Setting up your sleep environment optimally will aid you in falling asleep faster and getting deeper sleep. Bedding: On average, we spend about 1/3 of our lives sleeping. It makes sense to invest in quality mattresses and pillows to assist with quality sleep. Lighting: Make sure your room is as dark as possible. Sound: Keep your room as quiet as possible. If there are sounds from any electronics in nearby rooms or a snoring partner - invest in quality ear plugs. Temperature: Keep your room nice and cool
7. Stretch before bed
After a stressful or sedentary day, your body can be stiff. This can prevent your body from being able to fully relax and fall asleep. Hereâs a good resource on stretches you can do before bed:
8. Have chamomile tea at night
Chamomile tea has a compound in it which has a calming and relaxing effect, helping you to fall asleep.
9. Be physically active at least 2x a week
Our sedentary lifestyles contribute to a whole host of problems - poor sleep is one of them. If youâre not physically active, your body has a lot of pent up energy stored that doesnât get used - this can leave you restless at night. Ever notice how after a physically demanding day you tend to feel so tired that you sleep really well? Go to the gym or play sports at least 2x a week or aim to get in at least 15 to 30 minutes of intentional walking each day.
10. Supplement
I intentionally left supplements last - if you donât have the above foundations set, supplementing will be mostly a waste. Supplements can be powerful aids when youâve got the foundations sorted. The below supplements can help you with your sleep issues or further deepen your quality of sleep. Having trouble falling and staying asleep? Take magnesium glycinate (200 - 400mg) and glycine (3 - 5g) Note: If youâre deficient in Vitamin B12, avoid taking glycine - it can worsen your insomnia Mind racing and full of thoughts at night? Take Inositol (1 - 4g) - itâll calm your mind. Body feeling fidgety/anxious? Take L-Theanine (100 - 200mg) or Taurine (1 - 3g daily) - they relax the body
Still struggling to get quality sleep?
If youâve done all the above and are still struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night then the issue could be deeper. Nutrient deficiencies or gut issues would be where Iâd recommend looking into next.
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On this page
- Trouble Sleeping? 10 Tips to Fix Your Sleep Issues
- 1. Have a consistent sleep & wake up time
- 2. Have a morning and night time routine
- 3. No meals at least 2 - 3 hours before bed
- 4. Avoid blue light in the evenings
- 5. Donât have caffeine too late
- 6. Setup the right sleep environment
- 7. Stretch before bed
- 8. Have chamomile tea at night
- 9. Be physically active at least 2x a week
- 10. Supplement
- Still struggling to get quality sleep?
- Related Posts