7 Day Guide to Better Sleep

The CDC has found that one out of three adults doesn’t get the recommended amount of sleep each night.  They note that sleeping less than 7 hours per night is associated with a number of chronic health conditions. If you want to stay healthy, getting enough sleep is of the utmost importance.

This 7-day guide to better sleep will provide you with a tip to try each day to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep.

Night 1 – Set a nightly bedtime

It’s important to get yourself on a schedule if you want to sleep better. If one night you’re going to bed at 10 and the next at midnight, it’s doing a disservice to your ability to sleep. Just like you set a bedtime for kids, set one for yourself, and stick to it. Soon, your body will get used to going to bed at a certain hour and you’ll start falling asleep at that time more easily and quickly.

Night 2 – Limit caffeine to the morning

How much coffee are you drinking each day? How about caffeinated sodas, tea, and energy drinks? Drinking caffeinated beverages later in the day can interfere with your sleep at night. Avoid that afternoon pick-me-up in the form of a caffeinated beverage if you want to sleep better. Instead, take a short walk to get your blood flowing and wake yourself up. At bedtime, your body will thank you.

Night 3 – Consider changing your mattress

It should come as no surprise that if your mattress is uncomfortable, it’s going to negatively impact your sleep. Many people will put off buying a new mattress because it can be confusing, overwhelming, and expensive. That’s why we’ve devoted ourselves to reviewing the most recommended mattresses on the market and sharing that information with you so you can decide more easily. We also share prices, warranty periods, and free trial times upfront so you can get the best bang for your buck. Read our reviews today to find out if a new mattress can help you sleep better tonight.

Night 4 – Don’t oversleep on the weekends

Just like we talked about creating a set bedtime in our first sleep tip, you should also try to wake up around the same time each day. During weekdays, this isn’t a problem for most people since they have to get up for work. On the weekends, however, it is a different story. Don’t let yourself sleep too late or take too many naps on the weekend or else you won’t be tired at night and you’ll quickly get off your schedule.

Night 5 – Put your phone away

Are you using your phone in bed? This is a problem for multiple reasons. One – your bed should be associated only with sleep. Two – the blue light emitted by your phone has been found to negatively impact sleep. And three – it’s all too easy to go down the rabbit hole of checking various social media platforms and email, which pushes the time you fall asleep back later. Just don’t do it.

Night 6 – Try meditation

Do you have trouble with racing thoughts at bedtime? Meditation can help you quiet your mind so you can finally fall asleep. There are numerous free apps out there like SimpleHabit and HeadSpace that guide you through short meditations. You can even choose meditations that are specific for helping you sleep.

Night 7 – Create a bedtime routine

Just like a set bedtime can help you with sleep, so can a bedtime routine. Come up with a few steps to do every night before you go to bed. This could be something like taking a shower followed by reading for 30 minutes and then a short meditation. The routine helps to let your body know that it is almost time to sleep.