Sleep

Nobody wants to wake up for the day feeling groggy. When your sleep suffers, your health suffers. Whether you struggle with falling asleep, staying asleep, or just feeling awake when morning comes around, you’re not alone. Even the small things in our life like stress and routine changes can negatively affect our night’s sleep.

It’s easy to think that going to bed early will solve all of your sleeping problems, but that’s not always the case. So many different factors contribute to your ability to feel refreshed. If you’re still finding yourself tired when you wake up in the morning, try these health hacks below to see if they help get your sleep cycle back on track.

#1. Change Your Mattress

No matter how much you paid for your mattress, it might not be a good fit for your lifestyle and body type. Tossing and turning throughout the night is a sign that it’s time for a new mattress. Your mattress might be too soft or too firm, and it’s hard to tell at first. Luckily, there are so many options today for purchasing a new mattress.

The best way to choose a mattress is to spend at least 20 minutes trying it out. While it’s not always possible to test a mattress in person, (and who wants to sleep in public?) many online-based mattress companies allow you to try the mattress for a number of days to decide if it’s right for you.

#2. Relax With Essential Oils

Essential oils have long been used to boost our health for generations. The power of essential oils also can help with sleeping. The most common essential oil for getting a good night sleep is lavender. The aroma of this oil naturally calms your body, and it’s shown to lead to improved sleep quality. You can purchase a lavender mist to spray on your pillow before you sleep, or you can diffuse the oil with a diffuser through your bedroom.

Another common sleep problem that essential oils can help with snoring. Thyme and sage open the airways to ensure you’re able to breathe freely. If you’re snoring, you might wake up others in your home and even yourself throughout the night. Try these essential oils to see if they’re the cure you’ve been waiting for. Like with lavender, you can use a light mist over your pillow or even try sipping a tea before bedtime.

#3. Create Bedtime Rituals

What do you usually do before bedtime? If your current ritual involves sitting in bed and scrolling through social media, that might be to blame for your poor sleep quality. A bedtime ritual is something you do every day before bed. It conditions your brain to recognize that it’s time to prepare for sleep, so your body will have an easier time falling asleep.

Common bedtime rituals include things like drinking tea, taking a bath, meditating, or even just reading your favorite book. Whatever you choose to do, just stick with it again and again so your body learns what to expect.

#4. Cut Out the Harsh Light

Bright light before bed is bad news for your sleep schedule. The worst light is the light that emits from electronics like your smartphone and your TV. If possible, turn these devices off at least an hour before bedtime. Many smartphones come with light-blocking technology today to automatically help your body adjust to nighttime. This blue-light filter will keep you from straining your eyes too close to bedtime.

#5. Leave the Room

How many times do you lay awake in bed struggling to fall asleep? It makes sense to stay in bed if you’re trying to lure yourself to sleep, but sometimes this can have negative consequences. If you’re unable to fall asleep, you’ll only have increased anxiety and stress. This will condition your mind to feel stressed about falling asleep. Instead, leave the room when you find yourself struggling to fall asleep. If it takes you more than 10 minutes to fall asleep and you feel yourself becoming stressed, go to another room.

A good night’s sleep isn’t something to take lightly. You need to make sure you’re making smart choices about your own health, and that means protecting your time spent asleep each night. These tips will make sure you have a healthy relationship with sleep so you can feel your best.