My Tips For Better Sleep

I’m a little bit sleep obsessed.

I always try and make sure that I have the best night sleep I possibly can, I just have this weird need to get my 8 hours (I literally freak out if I haven’t). That, and I hate the groggy feeling you get in the morning when you haven’t had enough sleep.

In today’s blog I will be sharing some of my top tips for the best possible night of sleep. After all you, can’t surf and be living your best life if you’re sleep deprived!

1. Exercise regularly (but not before bed).

Exercise is magic, and can enhance all aspects of your sleep because it has a stimulatory effect on your nervous system.

2. Increase daylight exposure in the day.

Basically, the body has its own internal clock, known as your circadian rhythm. Natural light keeps you circadian rhythm healthy. Increasing light exposure will improve your energy through out the day as well as sleep quality and duration. Obviously, it’s winter currently so you could always invest in an UV light for your room.

3. Reduce blue light exposure in the evening.

Blue light is what your screens produce and it tricks your body into thinking that it’s daytime, so it will be harder for you to fall asleep. You can get apps on your laptops and phones/tablets to block blue light.

4. Don’t have any caffeine late in the day.

Don’t do it! Caffeine has a half life of up to 8 hours, so you could have a cup of coffee at lunch and still be buzzing by the time you want to sleep. Caffeine is essentially a drug and stimulates your nervous system, so will make the quality of your sleep significantly worse if you’re consuming it too late in the day.

I gave up caffeine about a year ago now and I found that it made a massive difference not only to my sleep, but also balanced out my energy levels through the day.

5. Don’t drink alcohol.

This may be a bit of a tricky one for some. Any form of alcohol will negatively affect your sleep and hormones. It will alter your melatonin (a hormone that occurs naturally in your body and helps control sleep patterns) production, which is also really important for a healthy circadian rhythm.

6. Don’t drink any liquids before bed.

Nocturia is the term for excessive peeing at night and will affect sleep quality and therefore your day time energy. Try to avoid drinking much within the hour before you go to bed.

7. Don’t eat late.

Eating late can negatively effect your sleep quality and the natural release of melatonin and HGH (human growth hormones).

8. Reduce irregular/long naps.

Power naps (lasting about 20 minutes) may be beneficial but sleeping in the day time will confuse your internal clock and will worsen your sleep quality.

9. Try to sleep and wake at regular times.

Your body’s circadian rhythm is on a loop so consistent sleeping and waking times will help long term sleep quality. Try setting an alarm.

10. Optimize your bedroom environment.

Eliminating external light and noise at night time can help help with a better night of sleep. Obviously, if you use any sort of white noise (waves, rain sounds etc.) to help you fall asleep, ignore this tip. I also feel more comfortable in my bedroom and happier falling asleep when everything is set up how I like.

11. Set bedroom temperature (if you can).

What is the most comfortable temperature for you? More extreme temperatures tend to make it more difficult to fall and stay asleep.

12. Meditate.

This may sound a bit cliché, but it can actually work really well. Some meditation practices, such as mindfulness, can help you get to sleep or feel more ready for bed as it can be a way to clear your mind of chatter and relax your body. Headspace has a really good sleep section, with sleep music and guided sleep meditations.

I hope that you find some of these tips useful. I use most of these myself and find that they work well. It’s important to remember that there are factors in your body that you can’t control and these may affect your sleep - don’t get frustrated.

If you are really struggling with sleep, go to the doctors as you may have insomnia or sleep apnea. As a last resort you could try medication, such as a melatonin supplement. In the UK you have to be prescribed this or buy it from overseas. I have actually been on several courses of melatonin in the last year and it only helped me fall asleep, not stay asleep. Be careful using any kind of meditation! They are only short term solutions and put your body’s hormone production out of whack.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. This isn’t medical advice, but lifestyle advice.

Sleep well!

Florence x