January 04, 2022
5 Natural Ways to Get Better Sleep
If you’re having trouble getting motivated as we turn to a new year—or are struggling with physical or mental health—one of the first things you should do is take inventory on your sleep.
Are you getting seven to nine hours on a nightly basis? Are you sleeping soundly through the night? Do you go to bed and get up at around the same time? If you answered yes to those questions, you are doing a great job with your sleep!
Unfortunately, most of us probably answered no to at least one of those questions! And poor sleeping habits can make the waking hours difficult on all aspects.
The good news is, there are plenty of natural ways to try and improve your sleep without having to turn to medication.
Center’s Healthcare has a look at five of those ways to get a better night’s sleep.
- Unplug
When you start to wind down and get ready for bed, put away the devices. Blue light from digital screens (phones, tablets, and even the television) can trick your body into thinking its still daytime out and will cause your body to not produce melatonin as it should when bedtime approaches.
- Don’t Keep Laying There
If you can’t fall asleep after around 20 minutes, experts say you should get up and do something relaxing (like reading) for around 20 to 30 minutes before trying to sleep again.
- Keep the Bedroom Cool
We all know it’s difficult to sleep when we’re hot, but you should make the room even cooler than normal if you can. Bundling up in a cold room sets off natural tendencies to get good sleep.
- Don’t Rely on Alcohol
Many people will have a nightcap—a glass of wine or alcoholic drink to help them settle into sleep. This does work, but alcohol can also wake you up later in the night.
- Cut Out Caffeine Early in the Day
Having a caffeinated beverage with dinner or a cup of coffee with dessert is a sure-fire way to mess with your sleep. Caffeine blocks a natural sleep chemical called adenosine, and it can take up to eight hours for it to resume its proper function after having a drink with caffeine in it, so you should probably cut out the caffeine after lunch time.
