Secrets to Being a Better Sleeper

Most people who are on a quest to get better quality sleep focus their efforts on their night-time routine, but the truth is that many of the secrets of being a better sleeper revolve around the things that you do throughout the course of the day. If you are looking to have more energy, look better and stop feeling drowsy during the day, here are the habits that well-rested people have. Add them to your routine and you’ll find yourself falling asleep more easily, staying asleep throughout the night, and feeling much more alert and bright-eyed in the morning.

1. Stop hitting the snooze button

Hitting the snooze button can actually cause you to be more tired later in the day.

Hitting the snooze button is everybody’s favorite way of gaming the system, especially if you’re the kind of person who actually sets the alarm ten minutes earlier just so that you can have the sweet sensation of turning over and sneaking in another few minutes of sleep. Unfortunately, studies have shown that those stolen minutes are actually lost minutes – they count as disrupted sleep and will make you feel more tired through the day. You are much better off setting the alarm for when you really need to get up and then get yourself out of bed when it sounds – that way you get you the additional ten minutes that your body needs.

2. Eat a healthy breakfast

As much as you may love the sugary deliciousness of a doughnut or chocolate chip muffin, and as easy as it is to grab it and go, it isn’t doing you any good in terms of the way that you feel. Breakfasts that are made up of simple carbs feel good in the moment but in a short amount of time they’re going to send you crashing. Instead, opt for something that is low in sugar and high in protein, like a slice of quiche with vegetables in it, a bowl of oatmeal with chia, or maybe some peanut butter on a whole wheat bagel.

3. Cut Off Your Coffee

Not entirely – heaven forbid! But you need to be aware of when coffee is too much of a good thing, and for most people that is right after lunch. Caffeine’s impact lasts a full six hours after you’ve had it, so if you have coffee too late into the afternoon it is going to have an impact on your ability to fall asleep, and send you into a vicious cycle of needing more of it the next day.

4. If You Smoke, Quit

This one is simple, and if you’re a smoker you’ve no doubt heard just about every reason there is for why you should stop, but you can add on the fact that nicotine is a stimulant that impacts your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. It also reduces your energy level by limiting the flow of oxygen that reaches your blood stream. If you quit smoking, your sleep will improve immeasurably.

5. Talk to Your Colleagues

This one may come as something of a surprise, but talking to your coworkers during the course of your workday will make you feel better and more wide awake during the course of the day then sitting and feeling foggy behind your computer screen. The more energetic and engaged you are when you’re awake, the more your body will be able to relax and drop off to sleep when you turn in for the night, so get up and out of your seat and walk over to the water cooler for a quick chat.

6. Get Moving

Getting some exercise during the day is directly linked to getting better sleep at night. It is a good idea to restrict vigorous exercise to at least two hours before your bedtime, so if you can, and some studies have shown that exercising in the morning has the most significant impact on sleep quality.

7. No Nightcap

Alcohol can make you feel pleasantly sleepy, but studies have shown that the positive effect is far outweighed by the disruption of your REM sleep that is likely to happen when the alcohol wears off in a few hours. Women are particularly impacted by this effect, so if you want to have a glass or two at night, restrict it to a few hours before bedtime.

8. Unplug Your Devices Before Bed

Watching Netflix in bed or playing a few hands of online poker after you’ve tucked yourself in may be your guilty pleasure, but it’s doing serious damage to your ability to get to sleep. There are countless studies that show that the blue light that is thrown off by our tablets, smart phones and laptops is tricking our brains into thinking that it is daytime, and therefore time to be alert. You can stop the negative impact by turning off your devices at least an hour or two before you go to bed. Try reading a book…. The old fashioned kind that’s made of paper and ink.

9. Keep Fido On The Floor

This one may be tough and will take some discipline and disciplining, but having your dog or cat up on your bed with you is doing you no good when it comes to your sleep. By training your pet to sleep on the floor (or in their own special pet bed located right next to yours) you will sleep more soundly and have a lot more energy the next day that you can use on playing with them or taking them for a nice, long walk.

10. Stick To Your Schedule On The Weekends

It is tempting to sleep a few more hours on the weekend and stay up a bit later, and if you only vary to a small degree that’s fine. But lolling in bed for three or four extra hours and staying up ‘til the wee hours has the same effect as crossing a few time zones, and has been referred to as social jet lag. Try to keep to your routine, and maybe give yourself just an extra half hour of sleep, and you’ll feel better.