If you’ve been experiencing more stress lately, you’re not alone. Stress and anxiety can throw off our regular sleep schedules, either making it hard to have a full night sleep or even just fall asleep at a normal time. Tossing and turning throughout the night interrupt REM cycles and cause feelings of sluggishness in the morning. Luckily, Sabrina Sarabella, a local clinical nutritionist, certified personal trainer, and all-around wellness expert is here to help. She’s weighing in and sharing some tips on how to get a better night’s sleep, even in the middle of a stressful pandemic.
Set Up a Sleep Sanctuary
The bedroom should be a room for sleep and private time only, and that’s an important line to draw. So in order to begin setting up the sanctuary-like nature of this space, try adding plants. Putting plants like a snake plant in the room can help to convert more carbon dioxide to oxygen at night and can improve sleep.
Consider adding a white noise maker or have a fountain that has running water, as this will help calm the mind and allow the body to fall into a good night’s rest. Be sure that your bedroom is completely dark, because if the body senses light it starts to stimulate chemicals to wake up.
See More: How to Introduce + Keep Indoor Plants in Your Home
Create a Bedtime Routine
Set up a bedtime ritual or routine. Letting the body know it is time for sleep by setting up rituals before bed will help to get a better night’s rest.
Try and do the same rituals every night in the same order so the body starts to get used to it. Some ideas for a bedtime ritual include taking a bath, reading a few pages of a book, or journaling.
Try Relaxation Techniques
Try a relaxation meditation before bed to help fall asleep and relax the body and mind. Journeying through a relaxation practice before bed helps to shift brain waves to be ready for sleep. Lie in bed and starting from your toes, think about relaxing every body part until you get to your head.
Read More: Tips to Managing Anxiety + Regulating Emotions, According to a Therapist
Go to Bed At a Reasonable Hour
The perfect sleep system allows the body to go along with nature, not against it. It is best to go to sleep between 10:00PM and 11:00PM and wake up around 6:00AM. This may be adjusted slightly with the change of seasons and daylight savings time. However, during winter it may be common to want to sleep more and go to bed earlier. If the body is giving these signals, listen to it, and head to bed earlier.
Wind Down Early
About two hours before you’re ready for bed, start to wind down, do some relaxation, perform bedtime rituals, and start to get off of any electronic devices. Studies have shown that using an iPad within two hours of going to bed can cause melatonin levels to hit rock bottom and we want melatonin high at night because it helps us sleep. If you do need to be on your phone or iPad/tablet at night, look into getting a flux screen {which can be found in the app store}. The app will adjust the color of the screen according to time to help reduce exposure to high powered light that will interfere with melatonin production.
And there you have it! Just a few tips to help get all that beauty rest at night.
Which of these tips will you be trying? Let us know in the comments!
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