6 Habits For Getting Restful Sleep

Let’s talk sleep. Do you get enough of it? Life is busy, and trying to juggle everything we do as women isn’t always easy – work, relationships, family, friends, working out, drinking enough water, remembering everyone’s birthdays – the list goes on and on. Finding time to fit in a restful night’s sleep seems nearly impossible and oftentimes ends up pretty low on our list of priorities.

While it may not be realistic to achieve a full 8+ hours of quality shut-eye every night, it is important to prioritize a good night’s sleep. Our sleep affects SO many areas of our life – from our productivity during the day to the condition of our skin to our overall mood – so it’s important that we make time for it.

Of course, like many things in life, this is easier said than done. For me, going to bed early is usually the first thing that gets booted from my plans when I have a mile-long to-do list. But I’ve found that during the times when I’m consistently getting good sleep, I tend to be more productive, make healthier choices, and overall just feel happier. So, here are my tips for ways you can establish a healthier relationship with sleep:

1. Limit your caffeine and sugar intake

It’s no secret that stimulants like caffeine and sugar can affect our sleep. As someone who generally doesn’t have trouble falling asleep at night, I used to think that caffeine and sugar didn’t affect me. Here’s why I was wrong: in addition to making it harder for some people to fall asleep, the amount of caffeine and sugar you consume during the day can continue to have an effect on you throughout the night and negatively impact the overall quality of your sleep. So even if you’re able to fall asleep quickly and you’re not fully waking up during the night (like me), the leftover stimulants in your body can prevent you from entering a deep sleep (aka your REM cycle) and leave you feeling exhausted in the morning. Cutting back on your sugar consumption and stopping caffeine by 3 p.m. can help you achieve the restful night’s sleep you didn’t even know you were missing.

2. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine

If you’re someone who’s constantly on the go up until bedtime, making time for a bedtime routine can help you slow down and relax before you go to sleep. For me, doing things like taking off my makeup, applying skincare, and changing into PJs are things that signal my mind that it’s time to start winding down.

The trick to making sure you stick to your bedtime routine is to avoid waiting until you’re too tired to do anything but crawl into bed. Try starting your bedtime routine – whatever that looks like for you – after you finish dinner. This way, your mind will know that bedtime is approaching and you’ll be that much more relaxed when your head hits the pillow.

3. Adjust your technology use

We’ve all heard that the blue light our tech devices emit can hinder sleep, but did you know there’s a way around it? The obvious solution would be to put all technology away an hour or two before bed, but because that’s not realistic for everyone, there are steps you can take to decrease your exposure to blue light.

iPhones and Androids both have nighttime settings that reduce the amount of blue light your phone produces (the setting is called “Night Shift” on iPhones and “Night Mode” on Androids – find these options in your phone settings). I have my iPhone programmed to automatically enable Night Shift between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. every day so that I’m limiting my exposure to blue light even if I’m on my phone before bed.

If you’re someone who works on a computer at night or watches TV before you fall asleep, there are blue light-blocking glasses you can wear that decrease your exposure to blue light even if the device doesn’t have adjustable settings. Bonus tip: blue light glasses aren’t just for nighttime! If you work on a computer all day and are prone to eye strain or headaches, try wearing them during the day, too!

4. Refresh your bedding

If it’s been a while since you’ve updated your bedding, try refreshing your space with some new sheets. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on fancy bedding to get something that looks and feels luxurious – there are tons of affordable options at places like Target and Amazon. Having cute + comfy bedding will make you that much more excited to crawl into bed and cozy up at night.

On that same note – make an effort to make your bed every day! Getting into a neatly made bed at night is a million times more relaxing than getting into a messy, unmade bed (that’s a very accurate statistic I generated from personal research :)). If you’re pressed for time in the morning, make a point to make your bed when you get home from work, or even right before you get in it at night. It sounds silly, but trust me on this one – try it and I promise you won’t be disappointed!

5. Crank the AC

Your body temperature can play a key role in helping you fall and stay asleep. Dario and I just recently started lowering the temperature in our house at night, and we’ve both noticed that we don’t wake up as much during the night and the overall quality of sleep we’re getting is better. Plus, I find it SO cozy and relaxing to curl up under a bunch of blankets while the air around me is cool.

The sweet spot is anywhere between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit, so play around with different temps in that range until you find the one that works best for you.

6. Think of sleep as a form of self-care

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m sure you’ve heard the term “self-care” a million times before. It’s one of 2019’s most popular phenomenons, and for a good reason: it promotes the idea that we should be prioritizing our happiness and mental wellbeing by taking time to do things that make us happy. Deeming something a “self-care practice” takes away the guilt we might otherwise feel for dedicating time to doing something for ourselves, like taking a relaxing bath, getting a facial, meditating, or getting a full night’s sleep.

Self-care looks different for everyone, and anything that helps us mentally recharge, find fulfillment, and feel good about ourselves can be considered a self-care practice. So it only makes sense that sleep should rank high on our list of self-care practices. Getting good sleep can help us feel happier, healthier, and more motivated, all of which can have positive impacts on our relationships, our work, our social lives, and our overall wellbeing. So next time you’re feeling drained, set aside your to-do list, declare a self-care night, and jump into bed early without looking back!

These tips have really helped me establish a healthier relationship with sleep, and I hope they’ll help you too! Happy sleeping 🙂

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