I’m heading back to Canada in a couple days which means I’ll officially be off vacation mode and can start tackling my 2016 healthy living resolutions. Initially, I wanted to start with getting fit again, but I decided to deal with my sleep problem first. My original goal was to just ‘get more sleep’ but I’ve since realised that my problem isn’t that I don’t get enough sleep. I actually get about 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day. My issue is that I have trouble falling asleep early enough to get quality sleep.
[Tweet “7 tips to help you actually fall asleep earlier at night #healthyliving”]
If I don’t get sleep during the hours of 10 pm and 8 am I’m pretty useless the next day, no matter how many hours of sleep I actually get. I do my best work in the morning but when I go to bed late, then wake up late it’s really hard to get the day going. I wake up groggy and grumpy and I have no desire to work out, cook healthy meals or be productive in any way. Not ideal. So today I wanted to share some of the things that have helped me with falling asleep earlier and getting the kind of sleep I actually need.
7 Tips for falling asleep earlier & getting a good night’s rest
1. Power down earlier
I always have intentions of falling asleep early, but as soon as I get into bed, I pull out my laptop or my phone. Officially it’s so that I can read a bit before bed, but let’s be real, I actually just check Instagram for hours on end. Then there are the backlights which definitely don’t help with falling asleep.
Bottom line? Using electronic devices before bed makes falling asleep a lot harder. The best thing you can do for yourself is to set a ‘lights off’ time at least an hour before you want to be asleep and give yourself time to actually get sleepy.
2. Avoid working out too late
Sometimes late night workouts can’t be avoided. If it’s the only time you can get your sweat on, that’s understandable. But it’s important to note that all the awesome endorphins that are produced during physical activity can keep you up for hours. At least, that’s what happens with me.
So if you can, try to push your workout back to at least 2 hours before you want to head to bed. That should be enough time to get down from your gym high and still fall asleep at a reasonable hour.
3. Avoid eating too much too late
I’m not saying to go to bed starving cuz that would probably keep you up as well. But going to bed with a stomach that’s stuffed to the brim can be pretty uncomfortable. Instead, have a light snack about 30 to 60 minutes before you plan to go to bed. That way you’ll satisfy your hunger but you won’t be up all night trying to find relief from an overfull stomach.
4. Avoid late afternoon naps
This one is going to be the hardest for me to do. I love naps and my prime nap time is anytime between 3 pm and 7 pm. But napping that late makes it impossible to fall asleep when my bedtime rolls around. So my plan it to try to avoid my naps altogether, or shift them to an earlier time. Fingers crossed I can actually stick with this one.
5. Meditate or do light yoga at night
I used to try to do yoga as soon as I woke up but it just put me right back to sleep. Which is why I think it would be a perfect way to get sleepy before bed. But since intense physical activity can keep you up, I try to stick to low impact yoga.
I usually focus on stretching or breathing and just working through a couple flows. Nothing too strenuous, but it works like a charm. And I don’t have much experience with it, but I’ve heard that meditation is another great way to quiet your mind before bed.
6. Journal
On the topic of quieting the mind before bed, not being able to shut my brain off is one of the biggest reasons I have trouble falling asleep at night. My brain just keeps going and going, thinking of the day I just had and all the things I have to do during the day to come. If you have a similar problem, one way I’ve found to clear my mind is to write everything down.
Sometimes I just journal and jot down different things from my day or what’s worrying me. Other times I make a to-do list for the next day so my brain doesn’t have to keep going in an effort to remember my tasks. It really just depends on what’s troubling me that night.
7. Cut out caffeine in the afternoon/evening
This one is a no-brainer, but it’s one I always need to remind myself of. When the 3 pm slump hits, my first instinct is to reach for coffee or some other caffeinated beverage. It’s relatively good in the short term since it keeps me awake and able to get work done. But when bedtime hits and I’m tossing and turning because I can’t fall asleep, I always regret it.
From now on I’m going to try getting my afternoon pick me up from healthy snacks or juices. Again, fingers crossed I can remember to stick with this one.
What about you?
- Do you get enough sleep? Or do you also have issues falling asleep early enough?
- What tips do you have for falling asleep earlier?
Share in the comments below!
Get Social with me on:
Facebook – Diary of an Ex-Sloth
Twitter – @ExSloth
Pinterest – @ExSloth
Instagram – @ExSloth
Google+ – +GiselleRochford
Bloglovin – Diary of an ExSloth
Follow GiselleR | Healthy Living Blogger’s board Healthy Living Tips on Pinterest.
Photo Cred: Aweisenfels (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
NO caffeine after 12pm for me!!
GiGi Eats recently posted…Top 10 Daily Tips for a Healthy and Fit 2016, Guest Post
My sleeplife CHANGED when I finally created a wind down routine for myself!!
I sleep like a toddler and Ive never slept better.
carla recently posted…Be a Shamash.
Great tips! I have trouble falling asleep earlier too and I found that one of the reasons is sometimes, I’m too full or hungry. So I make sure to eat dinner no later than 6:30om. That way, I don’t end up feeling hungry at bed time. I also found that allotting 30-45 minutes of quiet time before bed allows my mind to become relaxed enough to actually fall asleep 🙂
Uuuh I like the tip on journaling to quite your mind! I should try that 🙂
Cutting out the caffeine was key for me. I didnt actually realise until I stopped drinking it from 2pm. Now that I have an earlier cut off point it has been noticeably easier to get to sleep in the evenings.
No taking nap? It is really difficult for me!
Oh yes, of course. We should go to bed early for healthy life. These tips is very helpful. Thanks!
massage guide recently posted…Massage – A Treatment for Fibromyalgia
great post Giselle,I found that when I worked too later then went to bed, it’s easily to wake up several times during sleeping, at first I thought it was related to mattress but at last I found that it’s related to my bad behavior. Another one is about watching paced movie, this would make me incredibly hyper
chris recently posted…Is Nest bedding love bed best mattress for sex
Wow…..the tips are really amazing. It’s really true that we should go to bed early to lead a healthy life. Thanks for sharing this.
I should perhaps start following tips. It’s been over 10 years now that I tend to sleep very late. Even now it’s 2 am for me here. I will surely try out these tips. Thanks.
Your writing style very nice with very helpful post thanks for sharing a good idea
I was facing same problem earlier, it was too difficult for me to fall asleep quickly. I stopped taking nap in the afternoon and started avoiding to drink coffee after dinner. Now, I will try Yoga and meditation too.
Thanks a lot for sharing these tips, too useful.
Jaxon recently posted…How to Choose a Mattress: Mattress Buying Guide
I got in sleep trouble because of my habit of watching TV series on mobile phone right before going to sleep or even watching on bed.
But somehow manage to get of that by skipping sleep in afternoon and not touching mobile phone before 1 hour of bed time. Thanks for you article I got few new tips. 🙂 .
Jaxon recently posted…The Sleeping Habits of Successful People
“My issue is that I have trouble falling sleep early enough to get quality sleep.” Couldn’t have said it better myself. This has always been my problem and one that I hope to remedy in the New Year. One of my biggest issues I’ve been working on is tip #3. I have always been a late eater, I’m realizing that eating late and sleeping soon after isn’t just unhealthy (especially in regards to weight gain) but uncomfortable. This is an excellent tip that has been helping me fall asleep faster.
Very cool tips to sleep early. Cut out of caffeine may help getting proper sleep. Also avoiding late night TV watching will help in enjoying quality sleep.
the tips were great, I think I can be avoided eating too much too late. that is so cool. you have done a good job….
Great tips! I have trouble falling asleep earlier too.
I always have intentions of falling asleep early,
precise and to the point. Indeed a nice post to read. I agree with most of the points.
Liam recently posted…Is There a Mattress For Good Sleep?
Thanks for sharing this. In fact, I’m the type of person who always wants to go to bed early and that never works. In order for me to fall asleep at least at 22 o’clock, I need to be as active as possible all day and really get very tired. During the day I can’t even fall asleep, because after waking up I feel just awful. During the day I only sleep if I’m sick. Therefore, sleep at night should be even more sound than it really is. It seems to me that you need to work not on the quantity, but on the quality of sleep.
your writing is very knowledgeable.
I want you to always write like this.
I hope everyone will benefit from reading your article.
your writing is very knowledgeable.you are a good writer.
I want you to always write like this.
I hope everyone will benefit from reading your article.
thank you so much.
Kartik variya recently posted…Best App To Download Hollywood Movies in Hindi For Free
Someone said we all work too much and I think i agree. That bit about powering down early is spot on. We all need to get a good night’s sleep because it is essential for success in everything!
Great tips on helping to fall asleep earlier! Sticking to a routine and cutting down on screen time have made such a difference for me too. I recently started using nightease glasses in the evenings to block out blue light, and it’s helped me wind down so much faster. Love the idea of creating a calm environment—definitely something I need to work on more. Thanks for the helpful advice!