50 Tips For Getting A Better Night's Sleep
- Avoid alcohol immediately before bed. Alcohol may make it initially easier to fall sleep, but will impair sleep quality overall.
- Vigorous exercise more than three hours before bedtime will help you sleep deeply.
- Avoid screens or stimulating activities before bed. Wind down gradually with a low-key activity.
- Melatonin three hours before bedtime helps some fall asleep.
- Taking a bath before bed can help dilate your blood vessels which will make you sleepy.
- The central tenant of sleep hygiene: going to bed and waking up the same time every day.
- Cover all blinking electronics in your bedroom with black electrical tape.
- White noise helps some people fall asleep, e.g., the sound made by a fan.
- Turn down your thermostat before bed; cool temperatures facilitate sleep.
- Use the flux app, which matches your computer screen intensity to the time of day.
- Sleep and work in different rooms. Your bedroom should be that special place designated for R&R.
- If you're sensitive to noise, get some ear plugs.
- L-theanine has been reported to help some with sleep.
- Listen to relaxing music before bed to help transition.
- Use extended-release melatonin if you have trouble staying asleep.
- If you have clinical insomnia, it will paradoxically help if you try staying awake rather than trying to force yourself to sleep.
- Get evaluated by a mental health professional for depression and anxiety. These conditions can cause sleep problems.
- Clear your head before bed by swimming or taking a walk in nature.
- Read a book before bed instead of watching TV; it will make you sleepy.
- The amino acid Glycine has been reported to help with sleep, since it's metabolized to GABA.
- Don't bring your smartphone into your bedroom, or keep it in the corner if you need to use the alarm feature.
- Lose weight. Obesity and poor sleep quality go hand-in-hand.
- Meditate before bed.
- The serotonin precursor 5-HTP may help with sleep initiation.
- Create a sleepy atmosphere in your bedroom with scented candles.
- Take a break from technology.
- Cut down on caffeine, nicotine or other stimulant use.
- Take a sabbatical from work.
- Check with a doctor to make sure you don't have sleep apnea.
- Listen to talk radio instead of TV (the UV light from screens interferes with your circadian rhythm).
- Install a light in your bedroom that naturally dims according to the time of day.
- Regular sexual activity has been noted to help with sleep (especially for men).
- Make the hour before bed a sacred time when you're not allowed to worry about your problems or problem-solve.
- Connect with pets and loved-ones.
- Make sure you don't have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Both of these conditions can interfere with sleep.
- If you have clinically significant insomnia, try a sedating antidepressant (under the guidance of your physician).
- "Adaptogenic" anti-stress herbs like Ashwagandha or Rhodiola Rosea have been noted to help with sleep if you're chronically stressed.
- Do an activity that doesn't require much mental effort before bed, e.g., simple cleaning tasks.
- If you've been tossing and turning for more than 30 minutes, get out of bed and try sleeping a little later.
- Reprogram yourself to associate your bed with sleep by minimizing the amount of time you spend in bed awake.
- Drink chamomile tea before bed.
- Develop a soothing bedtime ritual.
- Avoid vigorous exercise right before bed.
- If you haven't already, learn some breathing exercises that will help you slow down in the evening.
- Avoid caffeine after lunch time.
- If you must use prescription hypnotics to sleep, you can alternate between classes of medication to avoid building up a tolerance.
- Try Belsomra or Rozarem - they're probably the most benign prescription sleep aids on the market today.
- If you're a very productive or organized type A person by nature, learn to adopt type B attitudes an hour before bedtime.
- Magnesium threonate has been noted to help alleviate anxiety and promote sleep.
- Use bright light therapy early in the morning to help entrain your circadian rhythm.
- Another great way to get better sleep is to learn how to lucid dream.