SLEEPING SOUNDLY

For so many years, I had such a hard time sleeping well.  I would google "sleep hygiene" and get endless lists of suggestions that often contradicted themselves.  I also used to try and figure out the one solution that would solve my problem, turns out for me there was more than one thing that needed to be fixed before I could sleep as well as I wanted to.  Here are my 10 most important strategies for sleeping soundly each night.

Eating and drinking schedule

Everyone has heard that you shouldn't have caffeine before bed, that it may keep you up at night. But I've realized that caffeine affects me 12-hours after I drink it, as much as it does after my first coffee.  It's almost like I get a second hit of caffeine.  I don't understand exactly why this is, and it seems to be that caffeine can have effects like this in some people but not others.  For me, it is no caffeine after 12 pm and no late morning coffees. 

1- I don't consume caffeine from obvious sources after 12 pm and try to finish my morning coffee before 9am.

My eating schedule also can have an impact on my sleep, especially if I've eaten late at night.  It is a fine balance between going to bed hungry and not eating too late into the night, but I find going to bed feeling full makes me wake up a lot during the night.  I try to eat dinner around 6 pm each night and do not snack on anything after dinner.

2- I don't eat before bed and eat dinner around 6 pm each night.  

Screens and blue light

The impact of screens and blue light exposure has been a hot topic lately.  The fact that blue light can disrupt your circadian rhythms and affect your sleep is pretty much undisputed.  My solutions to this are fairly simple.  I try not to do work on my phone and computer in the evenings as I find that this can stimulate my mind and doesn't help me wind down for sleep. 

3- I don't do stimulating work in the evenings and instead, focus on activities that help me wind down. 

If I do need to use my computer or phone (i.e. to read or watch something before bed) I ensure I've got my blue-light filter turned on.  A blue-light filter is available automatically in most computers and phones these days and makes my screen look more red-orange toned.  I've found it makes a huge difference in my ability to fall asleep after watching TV before bed. 

4- I have a blue-light filter programmed into my computer and phone from 7 pm onwards.

Investing in comfort

Considering I spend about 1/3rd of my life in my bed, I used to be oddly hesitant to spend money on comfort items that would make my sleep potentially better.  Simple things like a comfortable pillow and nice bedsheets can make a difference.  Since I ditched that mindset, I've also invested in a memory foam topper which made my mattress go from being so-so to being incredibly comfortable.  If you aren't able to invest in a whole new mattress, investing in a nice memory foam topper is a more affordable way to upgrade your bed comfort.

5- I invest in things that make my bed more comfortable like: a memory foam topper, nice sheets and a comfortable pillow.

Environment

For me, the environment I sleep in is something I've always valued.  I cannot stand falling asleep with lights on around me.  I have thick blackout curtains covering my windows to prevent the street lights shining in and I use a bedside table lamp in the evenings so that it is easy to switch off before falling asleep. For times when the environment is out of my control (i.e. when I've stayed in hostels or at other people's houses), I will bring an eye mask.  Mine is molded foam that allows me to open my eyes underneath it and is a good quick solution to a non-pitch black sleeping environment.

6- I make sure my environment is dark, and use an eye mask if not.

Noise also affects my ability to sleep.  Currently, my bedroom is located at the back of my house so there is not that much street noise, however, I have not always been so lucky.  In the past, I have lived on busy streets, had noisy housemates and stayed in hostels.  For these circumstances, I relied on earplugs to quiet my environment.  They were worth it at the time and a good solution to ensuring my environment is quiet.

7- I make sure my environment is quiet, and use earplugs if not.

The final way my environment affects my sleep is the temperature.  My current house is old and the heating can be all over the place.  The summer nights can be hot and the winter can be chilly, and unfortunately, I can't control it as I don't have a thermostat.  I've had to be creative to make sure my bed is a good temperature for sleeping.  If it is too cold, I have a hard time falling asleep and if it is too warm I wake up sweaty in the middle of the night.  Currently, in winter, its cold when I go to bed but can be warm by the middle of the night- my heating turns on often in the middle of the night.   I sleep in shorts and a t-shirt so I don't over-heat but use a hot water bottle or microwave heat bag when I first get into bed to make it cozy and a warmer temperature.  I tweak this night to night to make sure that my bed is an ideal temperature.

8- I make sure that the temperature of my bed is just right. 

Evening routine to wind down

As I mentioned above, I try not to do too much work in the evenings so that I can wind down properly.  After dinner, I usually watch a TV show or movie for a bit of downtime and then start thinking about going to bed at 8:30/9 pm-ish.  I will do my evening skincare routine, brush my teeth and head to bed.  Once in bed, I set up my ultrasonic diffuser with some lavender essential oil and pull out my current book.  I'll often read for 30-60 minutes before I start feeling tired.  If I'm not feeling like reading, I opt to listen to an audiobook.  I set up a sleep timer so that it stops after 60 minutes and doesn't play the entire night if I fall asleep listening to it. I generally find that listening to an audiobook or reading a book is a better way for me to wind down than watching TV before bed as I will stay up later to keep going with the next episode when I'm watching a TV show.

9- I establish an evening routine that helps me wind down.  A TV show after dinner, evening skincare, lavender diffuser and a good book set me up to fall asleep on time.

Consistency

I did not start these strategies all on one day, nor did they all start working right away.  The key for me was to be consistent.  It took me time to get out of some bad habits around staying up late and even now and again I'll eat later into the night or forget something has caffeine in it and have a hard time sleeping.  The idea for me is to be consistent with it and keep it up to see the lasting benefits over time.

10- I'm consistent and patient while implementing new sleep strategies.  I try one thing at a time and commit to really trying it for a period of time.  

What strategies do you use to help you sleep better?  Do you struggle with falling asleep like I used to? Comment below which strategy you want to implement to help you sleep better.