Like most people, you probably struggle with sleep from time to time—or perhaps it’s a chronic problem you’re grappling with. You’ve probably also heard about the common recommendations for improving your chances of getting a good night’s rest, such as staying off your cell phone before bed and avoiding caffeine late in the day. While this remains sound advice, there’s more to the equation.
According to physicians who recently spoke with the editors at Self magazine, sleep is a very personal matter, and what works for one individual may not work for you. Therefore, when developing an effective sleep strategy, it’s critical to take your personal circumstances into consideration. Here’s some advice Self garnered from five sleep doctors:
Honor your internal clock. When it comes to improving sleep, experts often recommend sticking to a schedule, turning in and rising at roughly the same time each day. This schedule, however, must be built around your own personal body clock. In other words, you can’t force yourself to be a morning person if you’re a night owl. Instead, aim for slight modifications, such as going to bed and getting up a half hour earlier. Create a schedule that works with your natural sleep rhythm and stick with it.
Get some morning sun. Physicians agree that a dose of early morning sun will help set the stage for better sleep at night. Even if you’re tight on time in the mornings, you can soak up some rays in a variety of ways—try walking or riding your bike to work, stroll around the block with your dog or kids, spend a few minutes pulling weeds in your garden or have your morning coffee on the deck, bundling up as necessary when chilly. You can also move your desk to a sunny spot.
Ease up on alcohol. While a glass or two of wine in the evening may seem harmless enough, alcohol is ultimately disruptive to your sleep. Although it may help you relax and nod off more easily, the experts say alcohol can prevent your body from entering the deepest, most restorative stages of sleep. Try abstaining and you’ll see the impact it has on your rest.
Create unwind time. This strategy is two-fold: It engages you in activities that help you mentally and physically relax before bed, and it conditions your brain over time to associate this ritual with sleep. The idea is to create a nightly pre-bed routine that helps you transition to sleep. This could involve a warm bath, deep-breathing exercises, lighting a candle and/or reading a book. What it can’t involve is anything to do with sleep-disrupting blue-light devices, like your phone, tablet and television. Remember that in order for this routine to work, consistency is critical.
Make for better mornings. The sleep doctors say that creating a morning ritual that you actually look forward to will help improve your slumber. Just like your evening ritual, build your mornings around activities that help you start the day on a positive note. This will vary from individual to individual, but it might involve relaxing outside with your first cup of coffee, reading a few pages of a book, journaling, exercise or all of the above.
Above all else, make sleep a priority in your life, respecting that it is the foundation to good health, well being and optimal productivity. So make it one of your daily goals and start taking the necessary steps to achieve it.
