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10 Tips for A Better Night of Sleep

Use these 10 simple tips to fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and get a better and more restful night of sleep.

My husband can fall asleep in the blink of an eye and I consider that a superpower.

Sleep has always been a struggle for me. 

I struggle to fall asleep, which is why I relied on melatonin for years (if you’re doing the same, make sure to read why you should stop taking melatonin every night!).

Where my husband can sleep whenever and wherever he feels like it, I have to be much more intentional about my bedtime routine and the sleep environment of my bedroom.

The tips below have helped me so much to be able to fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep throughout the night.

Make sure you don’t skip the 2 bonus tips at the end. Most of the 10 tips are the more common tips for a strong sleep foundation that you’ll hear just about everywhere.

They are important and so necessary but I was doing all of those things and still struggling to sleep, so the bonus tips are the keys that have worked for me!

#1 – Turn off screens an hour before bedtime

Whether it is the television, the computer, or your cell phone, those screens emit blue light that tricks your body into thinking it’s light enough that it should be staying awake.

This is probably the most difficult one for me because there is always another person to text or Facebook message and I love relaxing in front of Netflix!

There is a nighttime setting on newer iPhones that takes some of that blue light from your screen’s glow which helps, but if you really want to fall asleep quickly, shut off the screens an hour before bedtime.

They also sell glasses now that help to minimize blue light. I use these anytime I work on my computer, but especially in the evenings! 

Cyxus Blue Light Blocking C...Shop on Amazon

#2 – Count your blessings before you sleep

When your head hits your pillow at night, it’s easy for your mind to still be running at 100mph, even when your body is completely still.

And those thoughts can easily get carried away with “what ifs”, doubts, and regrets that can stress you out and keep you awake.

Instead of letting worries whisk you away, choose to dwell on the things in your life you are thankful for.

Relive the wonderful moments of your day, savoring the joy with all of your senses. That deep feeling of gratitude will bring you peace and happiness that will help you drift off into dreamland.

You can also keep a journal on your nightstand where you can write down anything you want to remember, so you can write it down and focus on sleep, knowing that you have it recorded when you need it.

See You In My Dreams Dream ...Shop on Amazon

#3 – Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day

This is probably the best thing I’ve done for myself in regards to my sleep.

I’m a natural night owl, so I used to stay up late binge-watching TV shows and getting sucked into good books, which I would obviously regret when my alarm went off the next morning.

I’d tell myself I’d just catch up on sleep on the weekends and sleep in on Saturdays.

That left me going to bed and waking up at different times every day.

Our bodies like routines and they do their best to adjust to them. If your sleep schedule is all over the map, your body is never going to know when the proper time to sleep is.

Get yourself into a routine of going to bed and waking up at approximately the same time every day (yes, even on weekends!).

You might not feel the results immediately, but with a little bit of time, this makes a huge difference!

#4 – Have a relaxing bedtime routine

Bedtime routines are common with kids. We bathe them, read them stories, and pray with them to calm them down and get them ready to fall asleep.

Bedtime routines are just as important for adults!

I don’t know about you, but my mind is in hyperdrive all day long and it takes me time and intentionality to calm those thoughts down in the evenings to be able to fall asleep.

Come up with some relaxing activities you can do before you climb into bed:

  • do some gentle stretching
  • take a bubble bath
  • write in a journal
  • pray
  • listen to some calming music (I’m quite partial to The Piano Guys)

#5 – Don’t look at the clock

For some twisted reason, my first inclination when I can’t fall asleep at night (or I wake up in the middle of the night) is to see what time it is. It’s like I feel the need to know exactly how much sleep I’m missing.

Watching the clock makes things worse.

Looking at the clock to see the time to dwell on how much sleep you are missing out on is not helpful at all. It will just leave you tense and frustrated as you watch every minute tick by.

Move your phone out of arm’s reach so you aren’t tempted to check it all night long and turn your alarm clock to face away from your bed.

Honestly, I haven’t been bold enough to move my phone out of arm’s reach yet, but I don’t check it at night anymore. When I wore my Fitbit, I would always check that the next morning, though!

#6 – Dim the lights

I never paid attention to this until a friend of mine commented one evening about needing to turn on her lamp instead of using the bright/harsh overhead light in her living room.

It’s no wonder we struggle to fall asleep when we spend all evening in brightly lit rooms with flashing TVs and then expect to be out the second we turn off the light!

It’s a process, settling down for the night. Just like the sun slowly goes down outside, your lights should gradually dim inside.

Use warm, soft lighting inside after the sun goes down. Try to use lamps instead of harsh overhead lights in the evenings.

Also, one of my favorite tools for waking up in the winter is this wake-up light that slowly gets brighter to wake you up by simulating the sunrise.

Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up ...Shop on Amazon

#7 – Use lavender

Lavender is my absolute favorite scent! It not only smells amazing but it is also a calming scent that is proven to help with insomnia.

Febreze has a great lavender spray, you can use lavender bath salts in a relaxing bubble bath, lavender essential oil in a diffuser, or light a lavender candle.

#8 – Exercise regularly

Sick of feeling tired all day every day?

I know that feeling well.

I know it sounds counterintuitive, but add some workouts into your week! Regular exercise not only helps you sleep more soundly at night, but it also helps you to feel more awake and alert during the day.

Even just 10 minutes of aerobic activity can make a big difference, so get up and go on a walk, a run, or a bike ride, and do it regularly for more restful sleep!

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#9 – Have a lighter dinner

Big, heavy meals rev up your metabolism and make it harder to fall asleep.

And there are all kinds of other side effects like heartburn can make you uncomfortable, leaving you tossing and turning at night.

Try not to eat large meals within 2 or 3 hours of bedtime and be careful of that nighttime snacking!

Stay away from caffeine in the evenings (unfortunately, that includes chocolate), but there are healthy late-night snacks that won’t disturb your sleep.

#10 – Keep it cool and dark

Your body naturally cools down as it sleeps, so when you keep your bedroom at a cool temperature, ideally between 60 and 67 degrees, it helps your body adjust and fall asleep more quickly.

And all of those little lights in your bedroom that don’t seem like a big deal (like that glowing red light on the smoke detector, a power strip, or a computer charger) add up quickly, so try to darken your room however you can.

Cover as many lights as you can in your bedroom.

Use blackout curtains on your windows to block outside light and try a sleep mask to keep things as dark as possible. 

After years of using one of those cheap, floppy masks, I now use (and LOVE) this sleep mask.

And check your thermostat before you go to bed, keeping things cool, to create the best sleeping environment possible for a restful night.

Bonus Tip #1 – Use a weighted blanket

My husband bought me a 20lb weighted blanket for my birthday this year and I am officially in love.

I used to get up to go to the bathroom 3-5 times a night and with the weighted blanket, that number has gone down to 0-1.

It cuts down on my restlessness and I don’t wake up from tossing and turning anymore. I can stay asleep longer in the mornings, too.

And, as an extra bonus, it’s great for calming anxiety!

It took about a week for me to get used to it and now I never want to sleep without it again.

I use the 20lb weighted blanket by BUZIO and absolutely love it!

BUZIO Weighted Blanket (20 ...Shop on Amazon

Bonus Tip #2 – Use This Lotion

I cannot say enough good things about this magnesium sleep lotion.

I started using it when I was pregnant and struggling hard with insomnia and it was miraculously helpful during and, surprisingly, long after my pregnancy. I truly can’t recommend it highly enough!

When I’m doing everything else on this list and it’s still not working, this lotion *almost* always works and has me sleeping peacefully in no time.

It doesn’t work on the worst nights of my insomnia but it works beautifully most nights!

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Use these 10 simple tips to fall asleep faster and get a better and more restful night of sleep.

Shamala

Tuesday 26th of December 2023

How to use the magnesium sleep lotion. I have restless legs at night, so do I apply to legs? I also take restyl,25mg ( sleeping tablets) and an anxiolytic every night, in spite of which I have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.

Becky

Thursday 28th of December 2023

The magnesium lotions I buy have always come with directions specific to their formula. I don't have restless legs, so I don't apply to my legs, but I've heard it helps people who do. Most containers just direct you to rub a certain amount of the lotion onto certain areas of your body.

Josephine Doris

Friday 29th of June 2018

oh and I take my melatonin about and hour before bed and AT bedtime I also take a Lunesta sleeping pill 3 mg. Still wake up after a couple hours and toss and turn all night. Add to the the 1-2 hour brain dead and slllooww moving in the AM

Josephine Doris

Friday 29th of June 2018

I have just discovered the fact 20 mg of Melatonin has NOT been helping! That research led me here. So, I see the list of 10 == so what CAN you do for a relaxing routine? I know I am headed for a ruff couple weeks going off my melatonin so I am in serious need for all the help I can get!!!!

Becky

Monday 2nd of July 2018

I'm assuming it was my Melatonin post (https://soveryblessed.com/2017/03/stop-taking-melatonin-every-night/) that brought you here and I am SO sorry you are exhausted when you are trying so hard to sleep! It's so rough getting off that stuff. For me, the things that relax me most at night are stretching (search for bedtime yoga on YouTube), lavender (essential oils, bedroom spray, candles, etc), listening to soft instrumental piano music, and stepping away from my phone/TV. Getting my brain to slow down is the hardest part for me, so I keep a journal next to my bed to write anything down that I don't want to forget, make a list of things I'm grateful for that day, or process through any difficult/stressful situations. I thrive on routines, so doing the same things at around the same times every night really helps me to calm down and fall asleep easier. Hopefully that helps!

mavis chuma

Sunday 17th of December 2017

thanks.great ideas.