by Kerry Taylor
I have often spoken to clients about sleep. Sleep is a key cog in the machine of getting the results you are looking for. Whether it be losing weight, gaining weight, gaining strength, moving better, performing at your highest level or just thinking clearly, if your sleep is off and out of whack so will be the consistency in achieving the goals you desire. Sleep is where we recover from all the handwork we put in and without it eventually changes come to a standstill. If you are someone that struggles with getting sleep, check out these 7 tips to help you get better Zs.
1. Cool It Now
What’s the temperature in the room you are sleeping in? Make sure it is on the cooler side. As the day goes on, it gets cooler and at night it is usually at its coolest. That is a signal to your body saying it’s time to shut it down and get some sleep because we are at the end of our day. Mimic that signal by having your room on the cooler side. Not freezing cold, because your body will be disrupted and will not allow you to sleep. Everyone has their definition of cool, apply yours here.
2. Fade To Black
Do what you can to completely darken your room. I use black out curtains in my room, which eliminates any light from entering my room. They also have black out blinds and shades that also completely keep the light out. Especially this time of year with the sun beating most people up in the morning. I’m all for getting up early, but if you have no desire to and need the extra sleep, you won’t regret investing in some of these.
3. What Are You Laying On
If you struggle with sleeping and staying asleep, you may not have too look too far than the culprit that takes up most of the space in your bedroom. Your BED!! I prefer to sleep on a foam mattress, it works for me, but maybe not for others. See if there is a better option for you, your mind and body that may help you to relax easier and get into a deep sleep and stay asleep.
4. TV or a Book
Some people say they have the T.V. on in the background to help them fall asleep because of the noise. Here are 2 more options for you that may serve you better. Maybe invest in a noise machine, there are a ton of them on the market. Some play just white noise, others play various sounds that you may like better. The light from the T.V. will trigger you to wake up and once you look at it, I’m sure you may get curious to what’s on and may catch yourself fumbling through the channels, or the light alone will just start the process of waking you up. Another option is to read a book, start reading while in bed and I’m sure it will start reading you.
5. Screens, Screens, Screens
I just mentioned T.V., but we all know the other screens I’m talking about more so than T.V…..Yes, your phone or the computer. They are your gateway to games and social media. Practice getting off your screens earlier each night till you get into a habit of being completely off it towards the end of your day. Because we all have had moments when we dive down the worm hole and next thing we know more time goes by and we don’t get to sleep as early as we planned.
6. Caffeine
Careful, careful here…..I know a lot of you have to have your coffee in the morning or even mid day to give you that extra burst to keep you going, Be careful of having it too late in the day, it will be another contributing factor that will keep you up later than you need to be.
7. Put It To Paper
If you’re like me, you may have a tough time shutting your brain down. You may have tons of thoughts going through you mind about all different aspects of your life. If this is you, maybe start a journal or just have a blank book next to your bed to get your thoughts out and put them somewhere. The fact that you are getting them paper, you know you won’t lose them and also cleansing yourself an giving yourself some therapy depending on what it is you’re writing about.
Tonight try one of these tactics to help you get to sleep sooner so you can keep the rewards of all your hard work. Improve your sleep hygiene and you will see better results. Until next time, continue to live life 1 degree above the rest!