Steps to Get the Best Sleep Amy Smith, November 22, 2022October 30, 2023 5 Steps to Get the Best Sleep of Your Life Image Source: Freepik You absolutely need to sleep well. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to lost productivity, accidents, illness, and unhappiness. Good sleep is good medicine that will make you happy, healthier, and more able to enjoy life. As an adult, sleep isn’t something that just happens at night when you want it to. It’s a specific function of your mind and body that happens only when you’re physiologically primed for it. But if you can set yourself up right, you will rest well. These five steps are how you get the best sleep. 1. Get tired If you’re not tired, your body won’t want to sleep (also known as insomnia) — and even if you do, the sleep won’t be good quality. Your body is giving you energy for the day, and your body expects you to use it physically and mentally. To use energy physically, move more. Go walking, go running, lift weights, say yes when your friend asks you to help him move. Do your best to avoid sitting or standing very long in one position. To use energy mentally, put yourself in novel situations. Get out of your house and try new things, learn new skills, think new thoughts, try out new hobbies. Really USE your days to the best of your abilities and tire yourself out. Also force yourself to wake up early, around 6am and watch the sun rise. Getting early moring sunlight in your eyes helps set your circadian rhythm. When you do, you’ll be well-primed for sleep. 2. Have a routine To make the most of feeling tired, stick to a consistent bedtime routine and consistent wake-up time. Your body will sleep better with practice, but it needs to know WHEN to practice. An hour or so before going to bed, turn the lights down at home and get away from electronic screens. Do something quiet and relaxing. Then brush your teeth and get into bed at your official bedtime. If you’re not feeling sleepy at this moment, try reading with low light and wait for your body to relax all the way. The better you can stick to your routine, the better your body will be at getting tired when it needs to and ready to wake up when it needs to. And in between, you can enjoy deep, blissful sleep. 3. Make your room cold and dark When it’s actually time to close your eyes and drift away, your room should be as dark as possible. No night lights, and buy blackout shades for your windows if there are any outside lights messing with your relaxing darkness. You also want your room to be cool — around 65° Fahrenheit is the ideal sleep temperature. The instinctual part of yourself that was molded by evolution wants your body to feel safe in your cave before you fall fully asleep, so make your room feel like a cave — cool and dark. 4. Make Sure You Have The Right Pillow So many people underestimate the importance of having the right pillow when they go to bed. Having the wrong pillow can affect your breathing, make you too hot, make you uncomfortable, and give you a sore neck. Not things that are optimal for a good night’s rest. Start by asking yourself how you sleep – on your stomach, side, or back – and then find a pillow that works best for your sleep style. Ideally, you would get a hypoallergenic, cooling pillow that’s adjustable, like the Sleepgram pillow, which adjusts to any sleep style. Don’t underestimate the importance of a great pillow. 5. If you can’t fall asleep, get out of the bed Following these steps will improve your sleep over time, giving you more and more of those great mornings when you wake up refreshed and happy. But still, everyone has nights when sleep doesn’t come as easily as it should. When this happens to you, get out of bed. If you’ve been following the steps above, you’ve been training your body to relax and feel peaceful when lying in bed, and you don’t want to mess that up by becoming increasingly frustrated while you lie in bed staring at the ceiling. Get out of bed, go to a different room, and go back to that quiet screen-free activity you were doing before you got into bed. Give yourself extra time to fully relax and get into a good sleeping mode before you return to the bedroom. If that takes an extra hour, give yourself that extra hour. Try not to stress about missing extra sleep time — getting an hour or two less of good quality sleep is far better than spending half the night angrily tossing and turning in bed. Follow these steps to better prime your mind and body for giving you the amazing sleep you’ve been craving. Remember that a good night’s sleep results from a day spent living well. Good sleep is also a crucial part of holistic health. The better you can take care of your mind and body during the day, the better your mind and body will take care of you when it’s time to go to sleep. This is a lifelong pursuit, so keep practicing, and always be ready and eager to enjoy the best sleep of your life. Author Bio Jennifer Hardy, SleepingBetter.co Jennifer is a stay at home mom with 2 kids, who is an active contributor to SleepingBetter.co. She has been researching sleep science for years and is all about creating the perfect sleep sanctuary for herself because she knows how powerful good sleep can be on your health and beauty. She loves reviewing everything from comfortable pillows to the best mattresses. Share on FacebookTweetFollow usSave Health Life Cold Roomdarkpillowrelaxationsleep