Sleep like sleeping beauty: Three ways to Increase your sleep quality
Feeling tired? You are not alone. The vast majority seems to suffer from a lack of enough sleep or poor sleep quality. Fortunately, today I’m going to share with you three simple steps to better sleep. If not as good as sleeping beauty, hopefully better than you do today at least. The three keys are:
- Optimizing sleeping environment
- Sufficient daylight exposure
- Establish a good night routine
Let’s look at each of them:
Optimizing sleeping environment
An optimal bedroom should be dark, cool, free from electronic devices, preferably well isolated from sounds and should accommodate a good and comfortable bed that is neither too hard or too soft. Simple as that, right.
Right?
Simple in theory but how do we actually get there?
- Make sure to get a good bed. Probably better to err on the side of a bit harder than you initially were inclined to. The bed doesn’t have to be a $10.000 luxury bed with built in massage (although that would be nice). Just visit a well sorted bed shop (?) and try out a few beds - pick the one you find the most comfy. And make sure it’s not too soft.
- The bedroom temperature should be around 19℃/66℉. Cool but not cold - you shouldn’t be freezing.
- Clear the bedroom from unnecessary stuff and get rid off ALL electronic devices. Buy a proper alarm clock instead of using your smartphone. A wake-up light is strongly recommended for a smooth and natural awakening.
- Use black-out curtains or blinds to let no light through. A sleeping mask is another option (I’ve used it from times myself but seem to never really getting used to it - I find the pressure from the mask disturbing).
Ensure sufficient daylight exposure
Daylight helps with sleep because of the natural biological daily rhythm - you are supposed to be awake during the day and sleep at night. Simple as that may sound, however, unfortunately, with today's busy working schedules most of us tend to not get enough daylight. That holds especially true for us vikings up north where it's dark in the morning and then dark again after 4-5 pm when we get off from work - and this goes on for 4-5 months of the year. But then again we're compensated in the summer when it never gets dark (negatively impairing our sleep, talk about drawing the geographical blank).
Anyway, you should try to get as much daylight as possible which is not always that easy, especially if you live in a place that has all four seasons (actually, here we only have two: winter and no winter). To get more sunlight in the darker seasons, obviously a trip to the sun is a no-brainer.
Another, less costly alternative that can be implemented on a daily basis, is a daylight lamp. Buy one with 10.000 lux and use it for 30 minutes to 2 hours every day (depending on model, distance and your preferences). Just put it on your desk or on your kitchen table so that you can use it while you’re “working” or when you have breakfast.
Establish a good night routine
Obviously, what you do (or don’t do) prior to sleep is of big importance for how easily you fall asleep and well you sleep at night. If you stay up late watching TV, listen to music or play computer games, your brain gets exposed to unnecessary arousal which makes it harder to fall asleep once you do hit the sack. The best thing is to start unwinding in time, for example 1.5-2 hours before going to bed. Relax, avoid bright lights and have a sleep inducing evening snack a few hours prior to bed, and also: be consistent. Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day (yes, you may sleep in on the weekend, but try not to mess too much with the circadian rhythm.
Dim the lights in the evening, use F.lux on your computer and turn it off at least one hour before going to bed. Also, avoid stress exposure (I know, easier said than done) - try to clear your head from work or other problems in the evening. If you have something of concern or if you're stressed about tomorrow, then write the concerns down on a sheet of paper. For example:
Problem: I said something to my coworker today that I feel a bit bad about.
Possible solution: Talk about it tomorrow and apologize if necessary.
Alternative solution: Don’t talk about it (because talking sucks) and pretend like nothing. It will soon be forgotten about anyway.
Also, list top three important tasks for tomorrow.
- Meeting with an important customer.
- Finish my weekly report.
- Talk to or avoid the coworker.
And 1-2 good things that will happen tomorrow.
- Hit the gym with my buddy
- Have a nice dinner
Now your mind will hopefully feel a bit less stressed and your soul more peaceful and tranquil.
What you eat at night can also have an impact on how you sleep or how easily you fall asleep. From my experience, this can vary a lot between individuals so my best advice is to try what’s working best for you. Generally, protein and carbs, preferably easily digested ones, 2-3 hours before bed is just about right. However, some individuals can eat closer to sleep and still have no trouble falling asleep whereas others need more time for digestion before going to bed. Trial and error til’ you find your way.
Melatonin supplementation is another good tip, that is also relatively safe with few (if any) side effects.
Speaking of nutrition, cut down on caffeine after 4pm and taper off your intake of fluids in the evening to lower the risk of having to wake up at night to do ‘you know what’.
Read a good book or a magazine 20-30 minutes before you get ready to turn off the light. I recommend a Kindle since it’s lighter and more comfortable to hold than a book, and you can also store more books than your bookshelf can accommodate - without taking up any space.
Hopefully you'll wake up like sleeping beauty ready to take on tomorrow's challenges.
Or you'll just have a decent night's sleep - hopefully better than the day before.
