Sweet dreams: How to fix your sleep

Set yourself up for success

Knowing that sleep is one of the most important things your body needs, create an environment that will encourage the best rest.

• Use your bedroom only for sleep, not watching TV.
• Keep your bedroom quiet or consider soothing sounds—a fan, an app on your phone or a white noise machine.
• Draw the shades and turn down the thermostat. A cool, dark room tells your body it’s time to sleep. 
• Consider comfort accessories like a posture-correcting pillow or cooling sheets.

Plan your day for sleep

We should all get physical activity every day to stay healthy. Taking a walk, a bike ride or a yoga class for 30 minutes five days a week sets you up for good health and will help you sleep better. Better yet, do your activity outside, in the daylight. Exposure to light, especially in the morning, adjusts your internal body clock. Your body will want to sleep when it’’s dark outside.

Routine brings rest

The daily decisions you make around what and when you eat, how much you drink and your physical activity can set you up for better sleep. And when it comes to bedtime, following a ritual can lead to successful slumber.

• Avoid eating too late in the day.
• Put away the electronics two hours before bedtime.
• Skip the alcohol and instead try a mocktail.
• Take a bath or shower to wind down.
• Set an alarm to wake up and go to bed—consistency matters.
• Do a brain dump of anything making you anxious in a journal, a voice memo or just make mental notes.
• Visualize a night of good, uninterrupted sleep.

Waking up from a restful night of sleep is one of life’s greatest feelings. Setting yourself up for successful nights will bring on better days too.

Good night.