Tips to Help You Get a Restful Night Sleep: Did you know that one of the most important things we can do for ourselves, body, and overall health is to get a restful night sleep? Improving your sleep conditions can improve your mind, body, and overall quality of life.
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If you are finding yourself struggling with getting a restful night sleep I have a few tips to share that can help you reduce factors that may be contributing to your disturbed sleep. Removing these disruptions out of your life will improve your daytime attentiveness, energy, productivity, and your emotional balance.
Tips to Help You Get a Restful Night Sleep
Create a sleep schedule
Based on your needs create a sleep schedule that works for you. Set a wake-up time and bedtime that allows you to get adequate sleep. Remaining consistent with your sleep schedule is crucial to your success in being able to get a restful night’s sleep.
It is highly encouraged if you and your partner decide on a sleep schedule that works for both of you. Nothing is worst than laying in bed and trying to go to sleep but your partner is still up next to you watching tv or doing some other disturbing activity. Agree on a bedtime that works for both of you in order to eliminate disturbances.
Setting a sleep schedule will also create a habit for you. It’s a proven fact that the more you practice something, the better you will get at it. Stay consistent!
Eat and drink mindfully
What you chose to eat and drink has a direct impact on your ability to have a restful night’s sleep.
Foods you want to avoid near bedtime include:
- caffeine
- spicy/fried foods
- sugary sweets
Caffeine can cause you to feel unrested and jittery. Spicy and fried foods can cause heartburn and stomach problems if eaten before bed. Sugary sweets can be a factor leading to an increase in spikes of alertness, which should be avoided close to bedtime.
Choosing the right time to eat and drink is also something you must be mindful of. My family and I eat an early dinner between 5:30-6:00 pm. Eating an early dinner and avoiding eating close to your bedtime gives your body time to process the food consumed and will promote a more restful night’s sleep.
Get regular exercise
Science has proven that those who stick to regular exercise routines and stay active throughout the day have a more restful night sleep. Whether you chose to run, walk, or practice yoga… stay active!
During the day I use my Fitbit to track my steps as I monitor my step goal. Weather permitting I strive to walk at least 2 miles per day.
Before bed, I enjoy a little bedtime yoga to wind down for the evening. Adriene Mishler is my favorite yoga instructor and she actually has a series, Yoga for bedtime available to watch free on youtube.
I will link video below:
Keep electronic devices out of your sleeping environment
Remove all electronic devices. We created a charging station in our living room for our devices. And this has been so helpful in removing disturbances and distractions from our sleeping environment (the bedroom).
The light that your electronic device’s display can be also what’s causing you to not get a restful night sleep. It is best to avoid bright screen lights at least 1-2 hours before your bedtime. Backlit devices are just as disturbing to your sleep so don’t be fooled. If you are someone who enjoys reading before bed, pick up a traditional book instead of an iPad or kindle.
We still have a TV in our room, but that’s also a NO NO before bed.
Create a comfortable sleep environment
Check your bed linen. What material is your linen made of? It was not until I switched over to 100% cotton linen and 300 thread count that I actually got a restful night sleep.
I am a hot sleeper and there is nothing worst than being disturbed at night because you are tossing and turning because you are hot and sweating. I love cotton sheets because it regulates my body temperature, keeping me cool and comfortable throughout the night.
What temperature is your room? The ideal room temperature for a restful night’s sleep is between 64 and 68 degrees. So if you are a hot sleeper, check your room temperature and make needed adjustments if necessary.
Develop a sleep ritual
First, my sleep ritual consists of lighting my favorite candle about 30-40 minutes before bedtime. [Don’t forget to blow out your candle before you get sleepy].
Next, I’ll dab my lavender essential oil on my wrists. I am currently using this, Organic Lavender Essential Oil:
Then, I spray my pillow with my pillow spray, Thisworks Deep Sleep Pillow Spray. This spray does it every time! Just 2 sprits on my pillow and I fall asleep faster and feel more rested once I wake up. I was first skeptical about purchasing but the reviews convinced me and I just had to try it for myself. It’s a game-changer when it comes to a restful night’s sleep!
Finally, I’ll enjoy a cup of warm herbal caffeine-free tea while I journal and write out my to-do list for the next day. My current favorite go-to tea before bed is chamomile with lavender tea.
Time to … wind down
Set aside at least 30 minutes prior to your bedtime for your wind downtime. During my wind downtime, I enjoy reading. It seems like soon as I open my book to read Mr. Sandman comes for me. My eyes immediately grow heavy and I find myself drifting off to restful night sleep.
Even if you find yourself struggling with falling asleep I highly encourage you to use this moment to relax. You can focus on your breath or the breath of your partner. Meditate. If you still seem to struggle, may open up a notebook and write or write a letter to someone special.
Use your wind downtime to power down and you will surely be able to get a restful night sleep.
Signs that indicate that you might not be getting enough sleep:
- Finding it harder to concentrate
- Increased appetite
- Easily stressed and irritated more often
- Forgetful
- Feeling more depressed than usual
- Decreased sex drive
Are you ready to get a restful night sleep?
I am challenging you to apply these tips to your life in order to improve your sleep environment and quality. If you currently have a sleep routine, share it with us below in the comments. What is one aspect of your sleep routine that you would like to work on?
I can’t wait to hear from you on your experience and if these tips helped you to get a restful night sleep
glowsteady
Great advice. I’m an awful sleeper and I’ve tried just about everything at this point. I’m working on trying to reduce my evening screen time right now, and I’ve added blue light filer apps to all of my devices in case I’m not good at following my own rules. I actually think the warm light on my phone makes me sleepy sometimes which I wasn’t expecting x
bloglifewitherica
Thank you for reading. On my iPhone I have selected that option too that changes my backlight to a warm light setting. I can notice a difference but I am not disciplined enough to even have my phone on my nightstand. 🙂
xo