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How has your sleep been lately? Hopefully good because there are many benefits of a good night’s sleep. 

Some benefits of a good night’s sleep include:

• Be in a better mood
• It can boost your immune system
• Increase exercise performance
• Increases productivity 
• Improves memory, learning, creativity, and decision-making
• Can help prevent weight gain
• It enables the body and brain to function properly. 

1. Update your environment where you sleep. Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature. Use blackout curtains to keep your room dark until you wake up, or use and sleep eye mask. Also, keep your bedroom between 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the best temperature for sleep. 

2. Avoid large meals before bedtime. Instead, give your body time to digest the food, at least 2-3 hours before sleeping. 

3. Exercise daily. The more active you are, the more your body pushes you to sleep at night. Daily walks and chores are good enough to keep you active throughout the day. However, ensure not to exercise too close to bedtime because that may make you more energized for sleep. 

4. Avoid alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol can prevent you from getting deep sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep because the alcohol in your system keeps you in lighter stages of sleep. You may also wake up groggy from drinking alcohol before sleeping. 

5. If you need to nap, keep it under 1 hour and before 2 pm. Napping too long and too close to bedtime will interfere with your sleep cycle at night. 

6. Be consistent. Sleeping and waking up at the same time every day maintains the body’s internal clock. As a result, it will be even easier to fall asleep and wake up. 

7. Spend time outside during the day or increase bright light exposure. It helps to keep your circadian rhythm healthy. It also increases the levels of serotonin which can help you sleep. 

8. Set a caffeine curfew. A study examining the effects of caffeine showed that even consuming caffeine 6 hours before bedtime decreases sleep by one hour. So if you plan to sleep at 10 pm, don’t consume any caffeine after 4 pm if you want a restful sleep. 

9. Reduce blue light exposure from electronic devices like smartphones and computers. Blue light tricks your body into thinking it’s daytime. So you may want to wear glasses that block blue light. Also, stop watching TV, turn off bright lights, and stay off screens two hours before heading to bed. 

10. If your mattress and pillow aren’t comfortable, consider updating them for more restful sleep. 

11. Consider taking a melatonin supplement. Melatonin helps with the timing of your circadian rhythms and with sleep. Consult your doctor on what type of product and dosage is good for you. 

12. Instead of watching TV or going on your phone, listen to calming music, read a book, meditate, or take a hot bath before sleeping. 

13. Get organized and set priorities. Organize your life and home so you can sleep peacefully. Set a date or weekend to organize everything. Also, ensure you get the most important tasks done earlier in the day so you can sleep comfortably. 

14. Try not to drink fluids 1-2 hours before going to bed; otherwise, you’ll wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. So ensure to go to the bathroom right before you sleep. 

Cheers to a night of restful sleep, 

Robin