Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.
When someone asks, “How are you?” do you say, “Tired!” without even thinking? Are you always tired? Reaching for that cup of coffee at 7AM, 9AM, again after lunch and maybe another around 4PM?
Perhaps the problem isn’t about getting enough caffeine; it’s likely about the lack of quality of sleep you’re getting at night. Here are a few simple tips to improve your days by fortifying your nights.
Watch the clock.
Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, including weekends. This will help sleeping and waking happen more naturally and with less of a struggle.
Sleep like a baby.
As in, create rituals for yourself each night that tell your body that it’s time to sleep. Read a book, have a cup of decaf tea, dim the lights and shut down your computer. Your brain will quiet and it’ll be easier to hit the hay with a clear head.
Work it out.
Biologically speaking, working out is great for your sleep, as long as you don’t do it too close to bedtime. Squeeze in a workout as often as possible, and your sleep quality will surely benefit.
Ditch the power nap.
Napping during the day makes it harder to sleep at night. Power though and then follow the steps above to get into a better resting groove.
Comfort counts.
Your bedroom must be primed for the best sleep possible! Be sure you can get adequate darkness, that it’s quiet and that the temperature is somewhere between 60 and 67 degrees to keep you cool and comfortable all night long. And speaking of comfortable, your mattress, pillows and other bedding materials should be allergen-free and soft yet supportive for a premium night’s sleep.
Let there be light.
Sleep isn’t just about darkness; it’s also about letting light in when it’s time to wake up. This light and dark helps regulate the body’s natural circadian rhythms.
Simmer down.
Certain things we do during the day pump us up. Eating, drinking, playing video games, texting, etc. Doing these things right before we go to bed goes against the cause. So stop it! An hour before bedtime, don’t eat, smoke or do any of those other things.
The “Two Things” rule.
Like I mentioned in the last post, the bedroom should be for two things and two things only: sleeping, and that other thing people do in bedrooms behind closed doors. That means, keep your cellphones put away and your TV out in the living room. You’ll be glad you did.
Remember: A better day starts with Zzzzzzzzzz.
Sweet dreams!
Bree
