How to Get Better Sleep Naturally

Ten Tips to Get Better Sleep Naturally

Our top ten tips to get better sleep naturally, involve forming better habits rather than using drugs or sleep-aids that your body can become dependent on and/or leave you feeling “hung-over” the next day. In life, it is ALWAYS best to do things naturally, rather than introducing drugs or supplements. Keep in mind that changing habits takes time and commitment, but if you stick with it, you will see the results. Anyway, I hope these tips help you achieve better sleep, as well as a more balanced, healthier life...

1.) Make your bedroom very cool. It is impossible to get a good night’s sleep if you are too warm. Your bedroom should be cool enough that you would be too cold without a blanket or comforter. In addition to lowering the temperature on your a/c an hour before bed time, try turning your ceiling fan on at least medium. During the fall, winter, or spring, depending on where you live, try opening your bedroom window for 30 minutes before bedtime to let some cool, fresh air in.

2.) Read for at least 30 minutes before bed. Not only is this good for your brain, it takes your mind off of the events of the day. Reading is an escape from reality and your daily stresses, which is just the thing your mind needs to prepare it for deep sleep. I'd like to give a shout out to my Dad here, who took notice of my pre-teen anxiety a long time ago and gave me a book called, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and It's all Small Stuff. As a twelve year old, I never really appreciated the lifelong values that this book taught, but I do think they forever changed how I approach life, which has also translated into better sleep. Too many people, like my twelve year old self, hold on to all of the thoughts of the day for absolutely no reason (i.e. I wish I wouldn't have said that. What does that person think of me now?). These thoughts have no meaning in the grand scheme of life and are certainly not worth losing sleep over. When you realize that nearly all of your worries are meaningless, you can shed them from your brain, and they will no longer keep you up at night. Try reading a chapter of this book before you go to sleep each night. In the very least, you'll have a healthier mind.

3.) Make your bedroom completely dark and technology-free. If the optic nerve in your eyes can perceive any light behind your closed eyelids, it will send the signal to your brain that light means awake, and you will subconsciously battle that neurological connection while trying to fall asleep. If your cable box, TV, or air purifier has a bright power light, put a small piece of black electrical tape over it to block out the light. For windows, try adding curtains or blackout shades. Turn your phone OFF or to do-not-disturb.

4.) Try adding some “white” or “pink” noise. You can actually buy a noise machine that is designed to help you sleep, or some high-quality air purifiers can do the trick. “White” or “pink” noise essentially creates a blanket of soft, soothing sound that helps block out sharper sounds that might wake you up. This is very helpful to many people, but can be especially helpful if you live in a city.

5.) Practice yoga during the day and slow, deep breathing at night. There are many things you can learn by practicing yoga that translate into better sleep. Most people cannot fall asleep because they cannot stop thinking. Practicing yoga not only teaches you mindfulness and how to let go of thoughts that are not serving you, it also teaches you the ability to calm your mind and body through breathing and relaxation. It will seem unnatural at first, but if you focus on breathing slowly and deeply, over and over again, it has two tremendous benefits to falling asleep: 1.) Deep breathing is known to naturally calm the mind and body. This is why many people nearly drift off to sleep in Shavasana at the end of a yoga class even if the class is at noon. 2.) Focusing on breathing takes your mind off of what is keeping you up. Think about inhaling very slowly and deeply and exhaling very slowly, over and over again. If your mind is particularly active, try counting your breaths. If you get to 100, start back at 1. Before you know it, your mind and body will be prepared for sleep.

6.) Avoid sleeping in on the weekends and create a consistent sleep cycle by going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time every day. Your daily sleep-wake cycle is naturally regulated by neurotransmitters, which send messages to different nerve cells in the brain. You may have noticed that if you stay up past midnight on Friday & Saturday, sleep in the next day, and then try to go to bed at 10:00pm on Sunday night, it is impossible. When you disrupt your sleep-wake cycle by staying up later on Friday and Saturday nights, your body is instructed to not release the sleep neurotransmitter, melatonin, until later, which is why you may toss and turn every Sunday night.

7.) Get legit exercise every day. Exercise is an outlet for pent up energy and stress. If you don’t get rid of it on a daily basis, it is still present in your body and mind when you try to fall asleep. Hot yoga classes, jogging or cycling for 30 minutes, or an hour at the gym is sufficient exercise for healthy adults.* Not only is this good for your vascular system, it really helps your body and mind relax when it comes time for sleep. (*Obviously everyone’s age, health, and bodies are different, so only exercise to the extent that your body allows and your doctor permits.)

8.) Avoid coffee after 3:00pm, eat dinner early, avoid big dinners, and avoid sleep supplements. Caffeine stays in your system for at least 6 hours, so avoid caffeinated beverages after 3:00pm. If you eat dinner too close to bedtime, your body's systems are still very much alive and in "day-mode," which will prevent you from falling to sleep. Also, feeling full or bloated is never comfortable, so don’t expect to be able to fall asleep if you eat too big of a meal. Finally, if you take a sleep supplement like melatonin, you will likely sleep too long, therefore upsetting your natural sleep cycle, which is exactly what we are trying to help you develop with this article. If you follow our advice and develop a standard, healthy daily schedule, you should never need a sleep supplement. Afterall, we are all about living naturally, and sleep supplements are not a natural way to fall asleep.

9.) Try steeped organic chamomile flowers. If none of the above tips help, the only herbal “sleep aid” I would recommend is one that comes right from nature, and that is organic chamomile flowers, that you steep just like tea. Enjoy a cup about 30-60 minutes while you read or watch tv prior to bed. Not only does chamomile help achieve better sleep, it has several other natural health benefits…which will be described in a future blog!

10.) Last but not least, invest in extremely comfortable, eco-friendly bedding. Sorry for the shameful marketing! We truly believe in our products, and our goal is to help everyone achieve better sleep…and fight pollution at the same time. If you’d like to check out our products, simply click here. Nevertheless, we wish you great sleep and sweet dreams!

As always, thank you sincerely for reading our blog. We wish you all the best on your path to sustainable, healthy living, as we continue on our own!