It can be so hard to wind down at the end of the day. Every person is different but listed below are tangible, practical ways for how to get the best night’s sleep. Given that we spend the day balancing a long list of responsibilities, whether in front of a screen or constantly on-the-go, it’s no surprise that our nervous systems are activated at the end of the day, making settling in TOUGH!
Let’s some of the mystery out of the process for you, with our top five tips to get your best night’s sleep!
Cut off Caffeine
Cutting off caffeine around 2:00 pm is very important. You do not want to consume stimulants like caffeine close to bedtime, it can create restlessness and prevent you from being able to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Immerse yourself in aromatherapy
Spoil yourself by lighting a yummy candle, or using some essential oils in a diffuser! Breathing in healing, comforting smells can help relax your nervous system, melting the stress of the day right off.
If you’re lighting a candle, we recommend using natural soy wax. For essential oils, we would go with mint, lavender, or eucalyptus. Lavender promotes relaxation and calm. Whether you opt for a candle and enjoy the mood lighting, or a diffuser with its calming white noise, climbing into bed will feel like arriving at the spa.
Try this SLEEP essential oil from Vitruvi!
Stretch it out
Some light yoga before bed is a great way to relieve that residual tightness in spots where we carry tension, like our hips, jaws, and shoulders. Try using a gua sha for any jaw tightness/stress.
Getting those muscles to relax can help set you up for a great night’s sleep, with the added bonus of feeling a little more limber when you wake up in the morning! If you go on YouTube and look up “night time yoga”, there are thousands of free tutorials for stretching to relax before bed.
Cut yourself off from your phone
I know it’s hard, but hear me out – your phone is getting you fired up before bed! Whether it’s good news or bad, hearing from the outside world right before bed can get your mind racing, and as many of you know, having blue light right in your face isn’t great for your sleep routine, either. While cutting yourself off altogether is tough, try setting some boundaries.
Try using this phone lock box so your phone is out of sight, out of mind!
Throw on “do not disturb” a little early, or pick a time that is your “social media cutoff” time so you can start to wind down. Choose a time every night to shut your phone off.
For example, at 10:00 pm, every night, set your alarm for the morning and put it face down. This is tough at first, but so much easier once you get into the habit.
Drink the right kind of tea
There is nothing quite like a warm cup of tea before bed – it’s truly like a warm hug for your insides. While you can find literal Sleepytime Tea to help you get to sleep, even just a regular, tasty cup of herbal tea can be so comforting and help calm the nervous system.
Making this a daily habit can help create the signal for your body that it’s bedtime once you start sipping – just make sure you’re not drinking a caffeinated flavor!
We would recommend chamomile, valerian root tea (if you really need a deep sleep), or pique mint tea (the spearmint herbal one!). Valerian root tea is the strongest for deep sleep and works the fastest if you’re trying to get to bed asap.
Listen to a sleep meditation
Are you truly stuck, staring at the ceiling, unable to get your brain to quiet down? Get someone else to do it for you! Sleep meditations help walk you through a variety of different exercises to get you to sleep, with the goal that you won’t make it the whole way through the episode, since you’ll already be snoozing.
Some include body scans to relax your physical self from head to toe, while others rely on visualization routines to get you into a relaxed mindset.
If you don’t want to pay for a meditation app, not to worry – there are plenty of podcasts or YouTube videos out there with free meditations.
Keep it cold and dark
A cold room is best for promoting deep sleep. Keep your thermostat at no more than 72 degrees. When choosing your bedding, buy 100% cotton sheets! Make sure that your sheets do not contain microfiber.
Microfiber can cause overheating which makes for an uncomfortable, sweaty night’s sleep. Keep your shades closed and all lights off (even night lights). Light stimulates your brain, making you believe it’s time to wake up. Total darkness in your room is best for getting your beauty rest.
Tart Cherry Juice
Studies are starting to show that tart cherry juice may actually promote improved sleep. Tart cherry juice actually contains melatonin, and there’s evidence to suggest that cherry juice increases the melatonin available in one’s body. If you didn’t know, melatonin is the natural hormone that plays a very critical role in your body’s ability to sleep and go to sleep.
Try having a glass at night and see how it affects your night’s sleep. Find a tart cherry juice that doesn’t contain added sugar.
Supplements to Take to Get the Best Night’s Sleep:
Andrew Huberman, Stanford Neuroscientist, has a great supplement protocol called a “sleep cocktail” that he recommends for a great night’s sleep. They are natural and are easily accessible.
- Magnesium threonate 300-400 mg before bed)
- Threonate is the form of magnesium that crosses the blood-brain barrier and will assist with sleep instead of absorption by gut.
- 5% of people have stomach issues with this form of magnesium, so be careful on the first night!
- Theanine (200-400 mg before bed)
- This is a nootropic but takes the edge off and balances caffeine intake.
- Avoid L-Theanine if you have night terrors or sleep walk.
- Helps with night time anxiety
- Apigenin (50 mg before bed)
- Derived from chamomile
Follow these tips and enjoy your sleep! If you liked learning about how to get a great sleep, read more here about how to start your day feeling amazing!
