SIX HACKS FOR THE PERFECT SLEEP

Especially during times of stress, our sleeping patterns are often the first to go. Sometimes, stressful situations are unavoidable, but there are some things you can control to improve your sleep. 

Here are six hacks for the perfect sleep that are surprisingly simple.

Follow a Nighttime Routine

With productivity hacks at every corner, we’ve likely cultivated an epic morning routine. But what about an evening routine that gets you ready for sleep? Routines work because they trigger your brain to do what’s expected. 

So, before bed, try to complete the same five steps - have a bath, brush your teeth, drink tea, read a book, and diffuse some lavender oil. Your brain will take those cues that it’s almost time for bed. 

Create a nighttime routine that works for you and watch your sleep magically improve.

Skip the Late Afternoon Coffee

Caffeine has a half-life of between five and six hours. That means, it takes about that long to completely wear off. Caffeinated coffee or tea in the morning helps us focus and prepare for the day. Sometimes, though, it’s tempting to grab another one to fend off the afternoon slump.

If your bedtime is 10:00 pm, then you shouldn’t have caffeine anytime after 4:00 pm. If you can, avoid having more than one coffee in the morning. Limiting caffeine intake is likely to improve your sleep. 

Dim the Lights

Absolute darkness is one of the keystones of healthy sleep. 

Get blackout curtains for your bedroom or try a sleep mask. If you’re particularly sensitive to light, you might also apply masking tape to cover the lights emitted from computer chargers, internet routers, and air conditioning units. 

Keep It Cool

For perfect sleep, your body needs to cool down to a lower temperature than it’s daily operating temperature. Have you ever noticed that it’s much harder to fall asleep in a hot room than a cold one? This is why.

Taking a hot bath before bed can help your internal temperature cool down much more quickly. Using air conditioning and fans during the warmer seasons is also a must for perfect sleep.

Journal Before Bed

We all know that frustrating feeling when we can’t turn off our brain as we try to fall asleep. “I shouldn’t have said that,” or “how are we going to afford rent?” or “that would be a great idea for my next project!”

Empty your mind and allow yourself to fall blissfully asleep by writing everything down. Putting your thoughts down on paper gives your brain a chance to let go and turn off. You’ll be sound asleep in no time.

Exercise During the Day

Finally, make sure you incorporate exercise into your daily routine. A vigorous workout at least three hours before bed can massively improve sleep. Initially, you’ll get a boost of energy from all those feel-good hormones. 

But, when it comes to bedtime, you’ll sleep better because you’ve actually used up all your body’s energy. You’ll be spent and your body will naturally want to sleep as a result.