7 Ways to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene in the New Year

For the past decade, we've had terrible sleeping habits. One day, we fall asleep at 2 a.m., only to wake up less than six hours later. Another day, we might find ourselves taking longer-than-expected naps in the middle of the day. Either way, both have disrupted our schedules, leaving us more restless, tired and anxious.

If you, too, want to encourage a happier and healthier sleep routine, continue reading to discover seven ways we've promoted a good night's rest. After all, when we sleep well, we can conquer anything.

Start Your Morning With Daylight

Inside our bodies, we have established a natural clock that tells us when to wake up, also known as the circadian rhythm. Our bodies recognize the pattern when we expose ourselves to natural daylight and night to signal to our brain its time to sleep.

When you neglect getting a healthy mix of both, your mind gets confused. In other words, when you're in bed all day scrolling through TikTok in a dark room, you likely won't feel very sleep when midnight comes.

On the days when we see at least 15 minutes of sun, we often feel more aware of our time and ready for bed at night.

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Also read about: 6 Skincare Products to Add to Your Nighttime Beauty Routine

 

Curb Your Caffeine Cravings

As people who love coffee, tea and soda, cutting our caffeine intake has been an uphill battle. These are some of our favorite beverages in our diets! Thankfully, there are plenty of caffeine free options, including decaf coffee and tea and soft drinks like lemon lime sodas and ginger ale. You'll be surprised by how your jitters and seemingly random anxiety will disappear, especially near bedtime.

 

Limit the Number of Naps You Take

If you wake up early, it's natural to want to take a recharging nap in the afternoon. In fact, we'd like to encourage you to listen to your body, and a 20-minute power rest can be restorative. However, the problem arises when you sleep multiple hours during the day, entering the R.E.M. stage. You are at some of your deepest sleep, but you generally want to reserve it for extended, overnight rest.

 

Avoid Blue Light Exposure Before Bedtime

We've all heard the tales about blue light radiating from our phones. Although it doesn't seem to be extremely harmful, the cool-toned hue can be counterproductive towards sleep. Instead of looking at bright screens before bed, begin to wind down with the Night Mode on your phone.

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Use Your Bedroom for Sleep Exclusively

As people who work from home, we get into the habit of doing our tasks in bed. Or, we'll stay in bed to watch a movie or read a book. But when this is done too often, your mind begins to associate bedtime with other (more exciting) activities. Use your bed for sleep only, and your brain will know exactly what to do when you get in.

 

Also read about: 10 Comfy, Soothing Products to Have the Best National Relaxation Day Ever

 

Start Dimming the Lights

This tip works similarly to our circadian rhythm. Like sunlight, we associate brightness, even artificial, with being awake. As you prepare for bed, start lowering the lights to enter the sleepy darkness. Eventually, you will feel tired!

 

Go to Bed and Wake at the Same Hours

One of our must-have tips for good sleep hygiene is creating a routine. We are all creatures of habit! After you begin to wake and sleep at the same time, your body will subconsciously send of cues to increase and decrease your energy level.

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