How to Create an Effective Sleep Routine

For those who struggle to sleep, nighttime can be a battle of epic proportions. Sleep deprivation can take a toll on a person, creating liabilities at work and decreased immunity and health.

There are many things you can incorporate into your bedroom to make sleep easier: Reverie Adjustable Beds, ambient noise, blackout curtains, etc. However, one of the most effective ways to improve your sleep is to create a sleep routine. Here’s how to get started.

Limit Food After Supper

While you might want to have a small, healthy snack before bed, it’s best to limit your eating after your evening meal. Whenever possible, ensure your last meal of the day is a few hours before bedtime.

Rather than getting caught up on the idea that eating at night will make you gain weight, focus on the fact that if you eat, your digestive system will start working to process the food. Rather than engaging this complex system before bedtime, give your body time to process your meal earlier in the evening.

Set a Time

It’s important to create a habit within your body when designing a sleep routine. To do so, you must set a time when you’ll go to sleep and wake up. You might end up making adjustments for special events and days off but consider sticking to the scheduled times for a while. This will include not only what time you go to bed, but what time you wake up in the morning.

A good goal to strive for is eight hours of sleep. That means you need to schedule your sleep routine to start about an hour beforehand for best results.

Limit Screens in the Evening

The blue light from computer screens and smartphones can mess with your circadian rhythm, making it difficult to fall asleep. To avoid this, limit your screen use up to an hour before bed. If necessary, reduce temptation by putting your phone somewhere inconvenient, like another room or out of reach of your bed.

Putting your phone out of reach of your bed serves another purpose: it prevents you from rolling over and hitting the snooze button in the morning, encouraging you to get up and make the most of your day.

Find Ways to Unwind

It’s important to incorporate a period of transition from the stress of the day to a restful evening. Whether you choose to curl up with the latest bestselling novel, practice mindfulness through journaling, do a yoga routine or rock out to some of your favorite music, finding a way to de-stress will help you fall asleep faster.

Removing the temptation to scroll through social media before bed helps with this, as you’re disconnecting from the world and focusing on yourself. It also reduces the chances of being stimulated by triggering posts that cause you stress and frustration.

Create a Sleep-friendly Environment

One of the most important things you can do to get great sleep is to ensure that your sleep environment is ready to go. Consider the elements mentioned previously, such as blackout curtains and a comfortable bed. Dim the lighting and make sure the room is a great temperature that will allow you to sleep comfortably without being overheated.

While you won’t want to drink a lot of water before bed, having a water bottle close by is a proactive way to combat nighttime dehydration and limit your trips out of bed before morning. If you find that you tend to get cold throughout the evening, have another blanket handy on your bed. Your goal is ultimately to reduce the need to wake up completely throughout the night.

By creating a sleep routine, you’ll make great rest a habit that’s easy to stick to. Follow the advice listed here, and you’ll be on your way to dreamland in no time.