Tips to Improve Your Sleep

Getting the right amount of sleep is extremely important for your overall health. How well you sleep is dependent upon your daily activity, your diet, and what you do right before getting into bed. You might be accidentally sabotaging any chance at a good night's sleep without even knowing it. Here's a few tips to improve your sleep:

Avoid Late Night Meals/Snacks

The hour before sleep is a crucial time for your body to properly wind down. Eating a meal just before bed, does not allow your body to do this. Try to have dinner at least two hours before going to sleep to give your body time to digest before it's time to wind down.

Cut Out Your Afternoon Caffeine

Caffeine affects people differently, but if you're having issues getting a good night's sleep, cut out the afternoon caffeine. A coffee at lunch might seem harmless, but caffeine can stay in your system for up to 12 hours. So this means no soda, chocolate, coffee, etc. in the afternoons.

Eliminate Alcohol

Most people think that alcohol is a downer. That late night glass of wine will make you feel drowsy and therefore help you sleep better. However drinking alcohol right before bed can affect your REM sleep which is the most important for your body!

Stay Properly Hydrated

After cutting out caffeine and alcohol you'll find a lot more room in your day for proper hydration! Drinking the right amount of water each day is a great way to ensure your body is prepped for sleep. However, if you drink a huge glass of water right before bed, this will likely lead to you waking up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. So, make sure to drink your water well before bed.

Stop using your smartphones/tablets right before bed

There have been multiple studies done on the effects that electronic devices have on your sleep. The main thing, is that any light-emitting devices actually trick your body into thinking it's day time. This will make it difficult for your body to go into rest mode. You should stop looking at any electronic devices at least an hour before bed.

Take Advantage of Your Phone's Sleep Mode

In addition to staying off your phone at least an hour before bed, you should also put it in sleep mode. You are likely getting loads of notifications all night that are likely to wake you up. Most phones have some sort of sleep mode available where you can silence notifications while still receiving calls or texts from selected contacts (in case of emergencies). Take advantage so that you are only woken up if needed.