Let’s be honest. We all know that sleep is a big deal… nobody likes being a tired zombie. But did you know just how much a good night’s sleep impacts your brain?
When you have proper sleep, your brain gets the fuel to help you focus, concentrate, remember, and generally be happier! On top of that, it helps all your organs, muscles, and digestive systems heal, repair, and do what they need to keep your body in tip-top shape.
Here are some of our favourite tips to help you get a great sleep!
- Aim to go to bed and get up each day at roughly the same time. It’s so lovely to sleep in on the weekends, but that will really mess up your circadian rhythm. Your sleep/wake cycle needs to be consistent, so you can get real rest.
- Turn that blue light off! I know, I know… we’re all obsessed with our phones. But here’s the thing. That blue light from your phone or tablet affects your body’s production of melatonin. Melatonin is your natural sleep inducer, and you need it to get a good night’s sleep. So try and turn off all your electronics about 1 hour before you want to fall asleep, and give your brain some time to wind down.
- Keep your room dark and cool. Invest in some black-out curtains to get a nice level of darkness in your room. And turn down that temperature! Many studies have shown that a colder room lets your body cool down enough to reach a level of deeper, restorative sleep.
- Figure out a routine. What do you want your bedtime routine to be? Having a consistent bedtime routine helps signal to your brain that it’s time to get ready to sleep. We love reading a cozy book, listening to a meditation podcast, or taking a bath.
- Now, what if you can’t fall asleep? If you’re awake for more than 20 minutes in the middle of the night, don’t just lie there or toss and turn… that can signal to your brain that your bed is a place of sleeplessness. We recommend getting up out of bed and doing something relaxing and quiet. Do that for about 20 minutes, then get back into bed and try to sleep again. The biggest thing to avoid is picking up your phone or tablet… that’s far too disruptive for your brain.
- If you sleep on your front or back, try sleeping on your left side! Studies have shown that doing so can aid in digestion, reduce heartburn, boost your brain health, and reduce snoring/sleep apnea.
