Eat a light, pre-bedtime snack
In our perpetually dieting world, it’s not uncommon to lie in bed hungry, but not wanting to eat in an effort to save calories. However, hunger is stimulating and fragments sleep.
Eating a light carbohydrate or protein snack prior to bedtime will stave off hunger without causing you to crash and awaken later in the night.
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The brain is preparing for sleep about two hours before our actual bedtime. That waking system has to slowly come down to allow the sleep system to take over.
Set an alarm an hour to two prior to your expected bedtime to remind you to wind down from the day. Do something you truly enjoy and find relaxing.
Even just a few seconds of exposure from a blue light-emitting device an hour before bed can disrupt the melatonin rhythm, a rhythm that is so critical to helping us fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
A nighttime drop in core body temperature increases one’s chances of both falling asleep and enjoying the coveted deep layers of sleep.
One of the best ways to trigger a drop in your body temperature is to raise it two to three hours earlier by taking a warm bath.
Spend any time winding down before bed in a “daytime” space like the living room, then heading to bed about 20 minutes before you want to be asleep.
Get enough sleep and keep your sleep cycle regular, even over the weekends.
Sleeping in to compensate for late Friday or Saturday nights—or sleep-deprived workweeks—is a major cause of insomnia and sleep trouble.
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During the day:
- Expose yourself to bright sunlight in the morning.
- Spend more time outside during daylight.
- Let as much natural light into your home or workspace as possible.
At night:
- Avoid bright screens within 1-2 hours of your bedtime.
- Say no to late-night television.
- Don’t read with backlit devices.
- When it’s time to sleep, make sure the room is dark.
- Keep the lights down if you get up during the night.
Napping can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night:
If, after you've thoroughly tested your evening routine and gotten better sleep, you still feel drowsy, you can try adding a power nap to your day, preferably during the early afternoon.
If you live with others, why not spend some time before bed talking or playing a quiet game?
If you can, try to resist the temptation to all be using a phone or electronic device in the same room without talking to one another.