How To Improve Your Sleeping Habits (And Your Life)

According to an alarming new study, “about 1 in 3 adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day.”

While you may have accepted sleep deprivation to be your ‘normal’, working to improve negative habits will improve your physical health and mental well-being. It also means that you’ll have enough energy to tackle whatever challenges come your way in your day-to-day life.


Photo by Fleur on Unsplash

With that in mind, here are some practical tips that you can use to improve your sleeping habits (and your life).


Go to bed with a clear head. Going to bed with a clear head is a great way to ensure you get as much sleep as possible. This is because you won’t feel as though your mind is racing the moment your head hits the pillow, allowing you to fall into a peaceful sleep. One way in which you can achieve this goal is by reciting peaceful bedtime affirmations or meditating.


Addressing the issues that are keeping you up. Though there are quite literally hundreds of potential issues that could be keeping you up at night, identifying and addressing them is crucial to moving forward. For example, if you’re dealing with pain and discomfort due to an ongoing injury or health condition, you could try out pain-relief products such as Delta 8 cream for pain. This way, you can ensure that you’re as comfortable as possible.


Block out all noise. Falling asleep in noisy environments is difficult, but this can sometimes be hard to avoid. For example, you may find that you have noisy neighbours, or that you live on a busy and therefore quite loud street. As such, you should work hard to block out all noise and potential distractions, such as by investing in noise-cancelling earplugs. 


On a similar note, you may also want to make sure that you’re blocking out other external distractions, such as external lighting, which can be achieved through blackout blinds and curtains.


Watch your caffeine intake. On busy days, caffeine can feel like a lifeline, especially if you’re tired. However, making an effort to reduce your caffeine intake, especially late in the day, could actually be the solution you are looking for. This is because you’ll naturally feel a little more tired than when being overly stimulated when getting ready for bed. Remember, caffeine is present in more than just tea and coffee; it's also found in the majority of sodas and soft drinks, so you may be consuming it without even realising that you are doing so. 


Final thoughts. Poor sleeping habits are not something that you simply have to learn to accept. In fact, there are plenty of steps that you can take today that will help make them a thing of the past tomorrow, from addressing the issues that are keeping you up later into the night, to watching your caffeine intake. This way, you can make sure that you are getting the shut-eye you deserve.


Brittany Giles