5 Tips on How to Sleep Early
Having enough sleep is important—that’s a given.
But if you’re having trouble sleeping lately, then maybe it’s time to change some of your habits. To help you, we’ve come up with simple tips on how to sleep early.
Create an Evening Routine and Sleep Schedule
If you’re struggling with sleeping at night, then it must be time to change your sleep schedule. To do this, you need to be extra disciplined to follow an evening routine.
Here are some relaxing things that you can do every night:
- Meditation or yoga
- Reading
- Journaling
- Listening to calm music
- Taking a warm bath or shower
By doing these simple things, you’ll have an improved sleeping habit in no time! Adults need at least 8 hours of sleep a day, so you must be consistent with your sleep schedule too.
Slowly practice sleeping early everyday by going to bed 15 minutes earlier from your usual sleeping time until you reach your target. At the same time, you can download sleeping apps to help track your progress as well.
Get Enough Exercise during the Day
When it comes to sleeping early, exercise plays a big role in that matter. According to a study, exercising regularly improves sleeping habits and decreases insomnia.
This is because exercising requires a lot of physical movements and energy, which is why you feel tired at the end of your session. Additionally, sleeping is the body’s way to recharge after a tiring day.
Exercising doesn’t always mean you need to go to the gym or hire a personal trainer. If you’re a busy person, you can opt for an exercise bike or gym equipment that you can simply use at home.
Avoid Taking Caffeine Before Bedtime
Studies show that stimulants such as coffee and alcohol can interfere with healthy sleep. Although coffee can help you survive long nights, it may disrupt your chance of sleeping early at night.
Experts suggest that if you want to move your sleep schedule to a much earlier time, it’s best to avoid drinking coffee 3 to 6 hours before going to bed.
If you still want to drink something soothing before you sleep, you can opt for a cup of herbal tea instead. It’s proven that herbal tea alleviates prolonged fatigue, improving the quality of sleep.
Lessen Your Exposure to Bright Lights
It’s true that light affects your sleep, especially blue light. To give you an idea, blue light comes from electronic devices such as smartphones, television, desktop, and more.
Late night exposure to blue light can interrupt your body’s production of melatonin, known as the sleep hormone. Hence, it’s highly advisable to lessen your screen time at night.
It’s also a good idea to keep your devices away from your bed, perhaps even out of reach when you sleep. This simple action will allow you to stop checking on your phone when a notification pops up during ungodly hours.
Try Various Natural Sleeping Aids
Technically, natural sleeping aids help you to fall asleep faster. There are over-the-counter (OTC) supplements such as melatonin and valerian root that improve sleep quality for those suffering from sleep disorders.
Also, it’s believed that aromatherapy can treat insomnia through the use of essential oils from plants. Often, aromatherapy is incorporated into massage therapy to treat body pain and to calm anxiety as well.
However, it’s still better to consult your healthcare provider before trying any sleeping aids on your own. In this way, your doctor can assess the most suitable way to help you fall asleep at night.