Sleep Habit Building Tips Summary
How to get regular sleep again?
- Find which best practices below work for you
(better habits, routines, and home environment)
- Experiment with them over time
- Be patient and diligent
- Take notes on your progress (sleep diary)
- Lock-in regular routines that work best for you
MOST IMPORTANT:
- Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day
- Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every day of the week
- Keep lights dim hours before bed
- Keep lights bright as soon as you wake up
- Keep the bed and bedroom cool, not hot
- Keep the bed for sleep - Avoid using it like a couch
- Avoid caffeine after lunch due to it's very long impact
- Don't use alcohol as a sleep aid, it sedates sleep
- Avoid screens before bed, perhaps switch to podcast listening
- Create a routine of relaxing with low mental activity before sleep
- Sleep per your "Chronotype" (morning or evening person)
- Try meditation if needed to train the mind to calm down for sleep
Value the HUGE importance and HUGE impact of regular daily sleep on:
- Your physical health
- Your physical appearance
- Your mental health
- Your self-care needs
- Your daily performance
- Your daily feelings of happiness and well-being
Recognize the negative impact on your life from:
- Ignoring the impact of poor sleep on your health
- Not solving your sleep problems
Avoid caffeine beverages after lunch:
- Caffeine has a very long duration effect on the body
- Reduces sleep quality
- Caffeine sleep problems lead to using more caffeine in the morning
- Caffeine use can become a vicious cycle
- Decaffeinated beverage is better
Avoid before bed:
- Eating, drinking, alcohol, caffeine, bright light, overheating
Create a slow-down routine to do an hour before bed time.
Dim the lights an hour or more bed time.
Then immediately start your decompress routine:
- Stop using screens an hour or more before bed
- Do other consistent routines to relax and prepare your brain for sleep
- Like: brush teeth, floss, read a book, listen to a podcast, play a music instrument, stretch, do yoga
Wear a sleeping mask to shut out all light or use room darkening curtains.
Wear foam ear plugs to minimize noises.
Use a "white noise" or "pink noise" generator to create a soothing sound:
- It will distract you from other noises in your environment
- You can tune a radio between channels to make white noise
- Or buy an app or get a device to make white noise
- Or run a fan to make white noise if necessary
Keep the bed and bedroom slightly cool so the body can get better sleep:
- The body needs to cool itself during sleep to get the best sleep
- Avoid too many blankets or overly warm pajamas
Get bright light when you wake up so your body clock stays set right.
Get daily moderate exercise or movement early in the day:
- Starts your body cortisol cycle early
- Helps keep body clock cycle set right
Eat at regular times every day to keep your body clock set right.
Eat a healthy balanced diet that supports your bodies needs for getting good sleep, including:
- Vitamins and minerals
- Hydration
- Avoiding excesses that hinder good sleep
De-stress as needed and when needed:
- Write down your to-do list for tomorrow to get it off your mind
- Write down any concerns to get it off your mind
Avoid using the bed and bedroom for other regular activities:
- Avoid watching video or texting in bed
Avoid lying in bed thinking or worrying:
- It can become a bad habit that's hard to stop
- Write down your concerns to get them off your mind
Get out of bed if you can't go to sleep or back to sleep:
- Keep the lights dim and read a book
- Or listen to a podcast
- Then go back to bed after you start feeling sleepy again
Log your sleep issues daily to help improve your sleep quicker:
- Sleep start time
- Sleep wake up times (including in middle of the night)
- Reasons you think you had sleep problems that night
- Your ideas on how to solve those problems
- Or reasons you think you got a good night sleep
Now...
Which things above do you think might help you most now?
How can you put them into your life as a new routine or set-up?
- What action might you want to take?
- Type below to see your thoughts (just for fun).
- Or you can use the 7Cups Notes Tool (click HERE) to save them.
Are you ready to set a new goal?
- If yes click here 👉 https://www.7cups.com/goals/
Do you need reminders to do your goal?
- Set reminders by first open a Noni CHAT then use the blue bubble menu button
If you still need ideas, here are some basic questions:
- Do you regularly feel tired, groggy, foggy, moody, ineffective?
- Do you get enough sleep every night?
- Do you go to bed the same time every night?
- Do you wake up the same time every day?
- Do you prepare for sleep with low stress activities in dim light?
- Do you get bright light when you wake up?
- Do you get daily exercise?
- Do you get daily nutrion needed for sleep?
- What is your goal for nighly sleep hours?
- What things are you doing that might be hindering your sleep?
- What things are you doing that might be helping your sleep?
- Are you eating at regular times each day?
- Are you eating or drinking too late in the day?
- Do you nap too much and then have trouble sleeping?
- Do you not nap when it would help?
- What specific sleeping problems have you been having?
- Is sleep a priority in your life?
- What is your recipe for good sleep from past experience?
Which of the above might you want to act on?
- Are you ready to set a new goal and get started?
- If yes click here 👉 https://www.7cups.com/goals/
Do you need reminders to do your goal?
- Set reminders by opening a Noni CHAT then click the blue bubble menu icon
Click here to give comments or ask questions: https://www.7cups.com/@7motivation 👍
-