Author: Maria Alfano
Need to get some sleep better tips? Are you approaching midlife and finding that sleep has become more and more elusive? You are in good company. As people age, sleep patterns change naturally. Others can be impacted by the additional pressures of looming retirement, grief, medications, or sleep disorders.
The human brain produces melatonin. This hormone reacts to darkness and tells your body it’s time to go nighty night. With aging, the amount of melatonin produced declines. Thus, so does the amount and quality of sleep. Melatonin directly impacts your circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is your body’s internal 24-hour clock. It registers when it’s day or night time. Since melatonin levels decrease, your “clock” is not quite sure at what point of the day or night you are in.
With so many other things going on in your life, lack of sleep should be the last worry you have. You already have the pressures of everyday life and an aging body that is betraying you by reducing your hormone levels. Don’t give it anymore help to reduce your much-desired rest. Sleep is well within your control!
Sleep Better Tips – 15 Powerful Ways To Improve Your ZZZs
Put those ZZZs back into your night and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to hit the ground running. Realize that some things are out of your control like that new medication that keeps you awake, that report for work that is due tomorrow, or that sleeping disorder you just discovered you have.
This post will provide you with 15 sleep better tips to help you regain control of those elusive hours of shut-eye and have you feeling like a whole new person in no time.
Light And Dark
1 – Light – Your circadian rhythm depends on the amount of bright light your body gets every single day in order for your brain to know if it’s time to sleep or time to wake up. Older adults need a minimum of 2 hours of bright light to have an 80% increase in better sleep.
Ever notice that when you spend the day outside gardening, at the beach, or simply soaking in some rays, that you fall asleep faster and sleep better? That’s because you fed your internal clock the bright daylight it needs to know what time of day it is.
2 – Dark – Your “clock” also needs to register darkness. So many of us are addicted to our phones, tablets, or computers. The blue light that is emitted from smart devices can throw your circadian rhythm off. That light might seem harmless but the glow from your phone will turn off the production of melatonin. In turn, your ability to fall asleep is impaired. Studies show that turning off all devices including your TV 2 hours before bed is very beneficial.
You can buy blue-blocking glasses or have your vision glasses tinted with a yellow lens. This will reduce the effect of that glowing blue light. Some smartphones also have apps built in that allow you to reduce the blue light at night.
The Ambiance
Your bedroom setup is critical to your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.
3 – Blackout shades – Yes, the moon and the stars are romantic but they won’t help you get a good night’s rest. Leave that till you are on vacation. Keep your room as dark as possible with some blackout shades. The darker the room the better. This will kick your clock into high gear and have you falling asleep in no time.
4 – White or pink noise – Noise-making machines help drown out the sounds around you and help you fall asleep. White noise is a frequency of static type noises. Pink noise is the sound of rain, rustling leaves, or other nature sounds. Depending on your preference, either one will work to drown out the outside.
5 – Too hot – If your bedroom is too hot, you won’t be able to sleep. Think back to a day in the middle of summer. The heat was sweltering. And, your air conditioning was broken. How did you feel? Falling asleep was a chore and staying asleep was even worse. Set your smart thermostat to go down to 70-72 degrees while you sleep and start warming up 30 minutes prior to your alarm.
6- Comfort – It goes without saying that having a comfy mattress and pillow is important for good ZZZs. If your mattress is lumpy and your pillow is too fluffy or flat, this will impede your rest. Before purchasing a new mattress ask if they have a test period for returning it should it not meet your you can return it or exchange it for one more suited to your needs.
Whatcha Drinking
7 – Water – Avoid drinking water at least 2 hours before bed. It’s hard enough to stay asleep but if your bladder is full and you just “need to go” you will interrupt your slumber. If you really must drink, then make sure to wait a while and go pee before hitting the sack.
8 – Caffeine – Anything with caffeine – coffee, tea, colas are stimulants that make your heart race and keep you hyperactive. It is recommended to drink caffeinated beverages early in the day so they can pass through your system long before bedtime.
9 – Alcoholic drinks – A little nip of something to take the edge off has a time and place. If the sandman passes you by, then perhaps, reserve drinking for the weekend. Alcohol reduces the human growth hormone (HGH) is impacted your internal clock. It increases while you’re sleeping. As we age HGH helps with our bone density and reduces body fat. So, even though you stopped growing a long time ago, HGH is vital to people of all ages.
Other Sleep Better Tips
10 – Routine – Having a proper sleep and wake schedule is not just for babies. Aging adults need to keep a routine time for going to bed and waking up. This encourages your body to fall asleep when it should and wake up when it has had enough. Train yourself to follow the schedule as closely as possible every day.
11 – Naps – A cat nap is great to ward off the 3 pm blues. At all costs avoid long naps during the day if you want to keep your circadian rhythm in check. Long naps during the day will reduce your need to sleep better at night. Personally, I am one of those who struggle to sleep at night if I nap during the day. My hubby on the other hand could sleep all day and then sleep all night long…so jealous!
12 – Supplements – melatonin supplements are helpful to induce sleep at the right time. These are non-medicinal sleep aids. They are drug-free and can be helpful for many folks who don’t generate enough of this hormone on their own. Take this supplement for no more than 2 years. Taking it for longer can lead to drowsiness during the day, stomach issues, and irritability. Before taking new supplements, you may want to consult your medical professional.
13 – Meditate – take 10-15 minutes for yourself to meditate. Quiet your mind with the soothing sounds of your breath or your heartbeat. If you’ve never tried meditation, there are many free apps on your smartphone that will guide you through the process. Freeing all thoughts from your mind will allow you to drift into sleep. You can meditate while sitting, standing, lying in bed. The latter option would be best for going to sleep.
I find that if I count with each long, deep breath in and out, my mind clears enough to fall asleep by the time I reach 50. This form of meditation is not only free, it is accessible to everyone with or without a smart device.
14 – Read – Have you ever read a book, or that business report while lying in bed only to wake up in the morning to find the book on the floor beside you? Do you recall how you fell asleep? Or, what page you were on when you did close your eyes for the night? I would wager that the answer to all these is”no.” Reading will relax your mind and have your snoring in record time.
15 – Take notes – If you have a lot of things on your mind before going to bed, take a minute to write them all down. Having those thoughts swirling around in your head and fearing you will forget them by morning will keep you agitated. Instead, write them down so you don’t have to spend one extra second thinking about them. Some folks find it useful to keep paper and pen on their bedside table in case one of these thoughts sneak in while their sleeping.
In Summary
You have been presented with 15 sleep better tips. Some of these are not new and perhaps you already practice these methodologies. Implement one or two more each week and you will find you’re falling asleep faster. Or, switch out some of your current habits for new sleep better tips.
We would love to hear from you. Which tip worked best for you? Do you have a tip that we didn’t mention? Tell us and our readers all about it.