Find your ideal sleep schedule.
Today we are going to talk about sleep! What is that I hear you say? Oh yes, I am with you there! Whether you have young children who wake you up several times a night; older (noisy) children who keep you up late; a pet that decides to sit on your face in the middle of the night; a medical condition causing you pain or making you need the bathroom; something worrying or stressing you; neighbours that play loud music, have arguments or do DIY at irregular hours; roadworks or fast traffic right outside; a very noisy snorer, or anything else, sleep can be something that really disrupts your days.
Sleep makes it better
“You’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep.” That’s what you tell a friend after a breakup. (Right after you say: “I never knew what you saw in them anyway.”) But it’s also true.
That’s because the restorative benefit of a good night’s sleep does indeed make you feel better. In fact, it helps you:
✅ Make better food choices
✅ Have more physical and mental energy for exercise and work
✅ More effectively manage your stress and emotions
(Just for starters.)
And in turn, each of those factors can contribute to better sleep. So instead of a vicious cycle that makes life harder, adequate shuteye sparks a virtuous cycle that makes life better.
How do I get more sleep?
There’s a big problem, though.
Many folks struggle with sleep.
They say they’re always tired no matter what they do. Plus, they’ve tried everything—gravity blankets, sleep trackers, supplements—and nothing helps. (“NOTHING!”)
There’s no one single fix for all poor sleepers, but the place many people should start is with their sleep schedule.
While that might sound obvious, if you haven’t been very intentional about this, you could find it very helpful.
Steps to take for better sleep:
Follow these steps to improve your sleep schedule.
Step 1:
Figure out how many hours of sleep you personally need. That’d generally be the amount that allows you to wake up without an alarm clock feeling well rested. If you’re not sure about that amount, you could start with 7-8 hours. Now count backward from the time you want to wake up. That’s your bedtime, and yes, it’s THAT simple (to calculate).
You’ll want to stick to this schedule as much as you can, including on the weekends.
That’s because after a good night’s sleep, most people need to be awake around 16 hours before they feel sleepy. So if you get up later than usual, you’re going to struggle to go to bed at your scheduled time.
(Advice courtesy of Dr. Jennifer Martin, President of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.)
Please note…
This may come with trade-offs you don’t like—such as going to bed earlier and not sleeping in on your days off. But it’s been known to work wonders for people. Of course, if it’s a monumental change to what you’re currently doing, it may feel impossible to make it work. So instead of going straight to “ideal,” start with doable.
Create a sleep schedule you think you can stick to 6 out of 7 nights a week, and put it to this test: On a scale of 0 (no way!) to 10 (so easy it’s laughable), rank your confidence you’ll follow through—and only proceed when you get to a 9 or 10.
Do that for at least two weeks, and if you have success, try to improve on it over time. And if you don’t, scale back and try again.
Step 2:
Create a bedtime routine. You may think that only children have a bedtime routine, but research shows if you get yourself into a routine you are more likely to stick with something. You may already have your own bedtime routine, but here are a few ideas which you may not have considered. It is trial and error for each person to see which work best.
Bedtime routine ideas
💤 Turn off screens (tv’s, phones, e-readers) at least half an hour before bed.
💤 Have a warm drink before bed (avoid caffeine for several hours before sleeping).
💤 Ensure your room is the right temperature and well ventilated.
💤 Make your sleeping space a clean, tidy, welcoming haven – bedrooms are for sleeping, so make it comfortable, cosy and clutter free.
💤 Take a bath or shower and put your night clothes on.
💤 Use aromatherapy oils, sleep sprays, mist or candles to help you drift off.
💤 Wear an eye mask or ear plugs if needed, or invest in blackout curtains.
💤 Play soothing white noise or calming music.
Step 3:
Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you find something which works for you. Remember that everyone is different and something which works for your family or friends may cause you to lay awake all night!
Recommended products for sleep
You may have everything you need for the perfect nights sleep, but, if you need a bit of help, here are a few items you may find useful. I receive a small commission if you click and purchase through these links (this is at no additional cost to you)!
Does sleep help?
Looking back to the paragraph ‘sleep makes it better’ where we saw that a good night’s sleep does indeed make you feel better. We can look again at the reasons sleep is so good for us! When we have had the right amount of sleep for our bodies needs we will:
✅ Make better food choices
✅ Have more physical and mental energy for exercise and work
✅ More effectively manage stress and emotions
I’m off to catch some Zzz’s!
Sweet dreams!
Drop me a message below and let me know how your sleep is and if you have any top tips!
Speak soon
Laurena x
