Sleep Hacks From An Insomniac

Have you ever had difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep? You are not alone! According to the CDC, around 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems. If you are among them, you know that sleep affects your physical and emotional health in a big way. Here are some tactics that have really helped me and may help you too.

1. Stick to a schedule.

   Going to bed at the same time every night helps your body get into a rhythm. This will make it easier to fall asleep. If I try to go to bed earlier than normal, it throws my circadian rhythm off completely and I’m much more likely to have difficulty falling asleep.

2. Create a bedtime routine.

   As kids, most of us had bedtime routines, but as adults, we tend not to be so structured. Bedtime routines are helpful because it takes time for our brains to shift into the parasympathetic “rest and digest” state. Having a consistent, repetitive set of activities before bed helps to decrease stress and ease into relaxation.

3. Use a silk sleep mask.

   Light tends to impair my ability to fall asleep so I’ve been sleeping with this silk sleep mask for years. I also love the comforting subtle pressure over my eyes for whatever reason.

4. Cool your room (or your mattress).

   This one is hugely important for me. For the past few years, I have been sleeping with the ChiliPad Sleep System and now, I couldn’t imagine sleeping without it. It is a magical mattress pad with a hose that connects to a cube you put water in and then you can set the temperature to the exact temperature you sleep best at - for me, that’s 68 degrees. This has been a game-changer in my sleep quality.

5. Try a weighted blanket.

   I also could not sleep without my Quility Weighted Blanket. Some people don’t like feeling weighed down in bed because they feel trapped, but for me, I like that it calms my nervous system and makes me feel much more relaxed. In addition, deep pressure stimulation such as from a weighted blanket is said to increase the production of the sleep hormone, serotonin.

6. Get exercise during the day.

   Exercise has so many benefits, one of which is better sleep at night. I personally love yoga for its mind and body benefits. Yoga may also reduce pain and stiffness, which play a role in the quality of sleep.

7. Take a sleep vitamin.

   I’ve tried a lot of different sleep vitamins and the one that works best for me is the SugarBear Sleep Vitamins, which I never forget to take because they taste so good. As always, make sure to check with your doctor before starting any new supplements. This one is so comprehensive because it includes Melatonin, 5-HTP, Magnesium, L-Theanine, Valerian Root, and Lemon Balm, which are all superstar ingredients for better sleep. I’ve tried taking these vitamins on their own, but I noticed better results with this combination.

8. Read a little before bed.

   Oftentimes, I have so much on my mind, that as soon as my head hits the pillow my thoughts start racing. It helps to make reading a few pages part of my bedtime routine because it helps me think about something other than myself and puts me in a state of relaxation.

9. Meditate.

   This study determined that mindfulness meditation can improve multiple cognitive and emotional processes that contribute to sleep quality. Meditation helps us quiet our minds and enter a state of relaxation. I use the app called Insight Timer to find guided meditations in alignment with my goals.

10. Don’t go to bed until you feel tired.

    If you go to bed when you aren’t tired, you are setting yourself up for difficulty falling asleep and potentially worsening the issue. That being said, even when you go to bed later than normal it is important to try to wake up at the same time every morning regardless in order to maintain your sleep-wake rhythm. When I worked with a certified cognitive-behavioral therapist specializing in insomnia, she taught me the strategy of sleep restriction. Sleep restriction is exactly how it sounds. If you typically only sleep well for 4 hours a night then you would wait until you are tired to go to bed and then make yourself wake up after 4 hours. This leads to falling asleep more easily and increasing the quality of your sleep. You would gradually increase the time you spend in bed. I recommend consulting a sleep specialist prior to attempting this.

11. Talk with a Wise & Well health coach.

    Your health coach can assist you in forming new habits to improve your sleep routine and guide you to better health with higher quality sleep.