When it comes to improving sleep, without the right guidance, you'll be at a loss for where to start. Once you realize that the quality or quantity of your sleep isn't good, you might be tempted to make many changes in a short period. But it's often healthier and more effective to start with small but better daily habits.
We've gathered the best and most practical sleep tips to add to your daily routine. We've grouped the tips into three categories: what to do during the day, a pre-sleep routine, bedroom environment, and finally: caffeine and alcohol.
Daytime Routine
Be outdoors for at least 30 minutes a day.
Try to go outside, onto a balcony, or open the window as soon as you get out of bed. This signals your body to wake up and learn when it's time to be awake.
Follow a sleep and wake-up schedule.
Find the most convenient time for you to go to bed and wake up and stick to it every day, even on weekends. By maintaining a schedule, your body will instinctively know when it's time to sleep, drastically reducing the time it takes to fall asleep over a period of days to weeks.
No more than 20-minute naps
If you need a nap, it should be short – a maximum of 20 minutes – so that it doesn't affect your energy levels for the rest of the day, or your ability to fall asleep at night.
Breathing
Experiment with various breathing and meditation techniques to calm your mind and reduce overall stress, which is the number one cause of sleep deprivation.
Evening Routine
Maintaining a consistent sequence of actions, along with adhering to the same bedtime, will send a strong signal to your brain that wakefulness is ending soon.
The sequence of actions could be: a cup of tea and last screen time before limiting it, a shower, putting on pajamas, brushing teeth, dimming the room, turning on a diffuser, reading a book. When you follow this specific sequence of actions every day, your brain knows exactly how much time is left until you should be asleep, which drastically reduces the time it takes to fall into deep sleep.
Get out of bed for a bit if you haven't fallen asleep within 20 minutes.
Instead of tossing and turning, get up and walk around, do something calming, and don't force yourself to sleep. Keep the lights dim and don't pick up your phone.
Leave your phone outside the bedroom
The best thing you can do is limit screen time for at least 20 minutes before going to bed. If your phone is in the same room, turn off the sound and vibration, as these, along with the lights, will distract you and prolong the time it takes to fall asleep.
Sleep Environment
Block noise and light
It's best to use blackout blinds or curtains. And to avoid waking up from every cat movement or your partner's snoring, integrate white noise to block out all peripheral sounds. If you find it difficult to sleep with such a sound, you can also use earplugs.
Room temperature
The optimal sleep temperature is between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius in all seasons.
Mattress, bedding, and pillows
Perhaps one of the most important things for quality sleep, after routine, are sleep products. If you have chosen the right mattress for you, in combination with suitable pillows, optimal temperature, and light blocking, nighttime tossing and turning should be minimized, and falling asleep should not take more than 10-15 minutes.
If this doesn't apply to you, it's time to change your mattress. If you sleep in the best position for your spine – on your back, medium, medium-firm, and firm orthopedic mattresses are suitable.
If you mainly sleep on your side, choose between the above firmness levels, but consider memory foam mattresses. They will conform to your curves and you will quickly find body relaxation and minimal movement during sleep.
Sleeping on your stomach is not recommended as it does not offer a natural spinal position, and it compresses organs and excessively arches the back (like a bow). We know that transitioning to a new sleep posture habit can be difficult, but to ensure a healthy body for many years without pain, we advise you to try sleeping on your side. If it's still difficult, a suitable mattress for side sleepers should be firm, to prevent the upper body from sinking too much and consequently arching the back.
Bedding is another important category that is key to a healthy sleep environment. It should be made of natural, breathable materials and suitable for the season.
Under the sheet, you should place a mattress protector to prevent the moisture your body releases from penetrating the mattress. It also acts as a barrier against dust accumulation and the development of microorganisms like dust mites.
Alcohol and Caffeine
Alcohol, caffeine, and other energy drinks can alter sleep patterns and contribute to sleep problems, so it is recommended not to consume coffee and caffeinated beverages after 2 PM.
Why it's important: Caffeine is a stimulant and can take up to eight hours for its effects to wear off. If you plan to go to bed at 10 PM, it's best to avoid caffeine after 2 PM. You can adjust the timing and amount of consumption according to your routine.
Alcohol
While processed by the body, alcohol disrupts the normal structure of sleep. This can cause sleep fragmentation and lower sleep quality. If you are used to a glass or two of wine in the evening, you can start by reducing the amount, as well as leaving at least 1 hour without alcohol before bed.
Nicotine
Like caffeine, nicotine is also a stimulant. Smoking close to bedtime is associated with greater difficulty falling asleep, unwanted awakenings, and reduced amounts of restorative sleep.
Quitting smoking is difficult and it may not be feasible to completely stop nicotine intake. Try to gradually increase the time between nicotine intake and bedtime.
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