Try These 6 Tips For a Better Night's Sleep

We’ve all experienced how a night of bad sleep can affect us the next day. Tired, sluggish, maybe a bit moody. It’s when these bad sleep habits or the inability to get a good night sleep become frequent that it can affect our overall health.

Over one-third of U.S. adults get under 7 hours of sleep a night. This lack of sleep has been associated with a variety of health problems like obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, mental health issues, and stroke. 

So, what can you do to get more sleep? In this article, we will discuss the science of sleep as well as provide practical, at-home tips you can use to get more zzzz’s. 

Why do we sleep?

Sleep is one of the most important biological functions in the human body. Sleep gives your body a chance to recover, repair, and keep everything running smoothly. From memory to mood to healing the body, sleep is a critical part of each process. 

What happens when you sleep? 

Well, during sleep your brain goes through several different cycles of shallow and deep sleep. You need to sleep for long enough to go through the different cycles in order to feel refreshed and keep your body, immune system, hormones, memory, and moods in check. During the deeper stages of sleep, your brain processes your memories and your body restores its energy and repairs immune system and tissue damage. During the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep, your brain stores memories and processes emotions. 

Hormones are also involved in sleep. Cortisol (a stress hormone) goes down to help you sleep and rises in the morning to help you wake up. Growth hormone is also released during sleep and is essential to help your body repair itself. 

5 tips for getting better sleep at night

Knowing how important sleep is to your health, it’s important to do whatever you can to try to improve your sleep situation. Here are some tips to help you get better sleep:

1. Set the stage for better sleep 

Creating an optimal sleep environment will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Start by darkening the room, blackout curtains or shades are a great way to get your space dark. 

Temperature also matters, so make sure your room is comfortably cool for good sleep. Noise control helps to prevent nighttime waking from outside sounds, white noise or other sound machines can help block out noises. If you have noisy or bright electronics in the room, take them out or turn them off. Lastly, invest in bedding, a mattress, and pillows that are comfortable and supportive.

2. Create a pre-sleep ritual 

Creating a soothing ritual can signal to your body that it’s time to wind down for sleep. This could include taking a bath, listening to relaxing music, drinking a warm cup of chamomile tea, or reading a book. 

Creating a regular routine and sleep schedule makes it easier for your brain to know when it’s time to start shifting into relaxation mode. By incorporating these calming activities and routines around the same time every night, you are training your body to make a quick and easy transition to sleep.

3. Turn the screens off

The light emitted from your phone, computer and tablet can interfere with your body’s natural circadian rhythm. Set a reminder 1 hour before your planned bedtime to turn off your screens and wind down for bed. Screen-free activities like reading, journaling, and listening to calming music are great for winding down from a long day and will help you fall asleep.

4. Limit caffeine and alcohol intake

For most people, caffeine after midday can interfere with sleep. Aim for your last caffeinated beverage to be late morning to ensure that all the caffeine is out of your system by bedtime. If you find yourself craving a coffee in the afternoon, reach for an herbal tea or decaffeinated coffee instead. 

Same goes for alcohol. Limiting the amount of alcohol you consume in a week and how late you consume it can help you catch some zzz’s a little easier.

5. Don't nap too long or too frequently 

For some, daytime naps can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night. Napping too much, too long or too late can mess with your body’s sleep rhythm and lead to poor sleep quality at night.If you find yourself very sleepy during the day, even after what seems like a good night’s sleep, be sure to let your doctor know as it could be a sleep disorder like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome. 

Better sleep is key to better health

If you’re consistently having trouble getting sleep, try some of these tips and find what works best for you. Small changes like creating a cool, dark sleep space away from screens and noises, and trying to stick to a consistent schedule can make a huge difference. Good sleep is essential for your overall well being, so making some small changes can lead to big leaps in the way you feel every day. 

At Agile, we understand that achieving better health means making healthier lifestyle choices like getting more quality sleep and having a healthier diet. That’s why we offer lifestyle recommendations, like diet and exercise, in addition to your medication prescription. When paired together, patients could experience an average weight loss up to 20%.

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