Your sleep solution – Expert tips to get high-quality rest

With work, family, and other life stressors keeping you busy, getting a good night’s sleep can feel like a luxury. However, high-quality sleep is essential for your well-being. Sleeping poorly affects your physical health, mental clarity, emotional balance, and productivity. 

If you find yourself tossing and turning night after night, struggling to fall asleep, or waking up exhausted, you need to take charge of your sleep routine. Fortunately, there are effective strategies you can try to improve your sleep so you wake up feeling refreshed. 

Here’s how you can transform your sleep and reclaim your life. 

Establish a consistent bedtime routine

Creating a bedtime routine is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your sleep quality. Here’s how you can make it happen.

Set a regular bedtime and wake-up time: Choose a time to go to bed when you can get 7-9 hours of sleep. Then, stick to that bedtime and wake-up time every day, even on holidays and weekends. Consistency is key for keeping your sleep-wake cycle in check. 

Create a relaxing environment: As your bedtime approaches, set the scene to help your mind and body prepare for sleep. Dim the lights. Adjust the room temperature to make it cooler and remove any distractions that could disrupt your sleep. Distractions could include anything that emits light or makes noise, such as a ticking clock. 

Limit your screen time: Devices with screens, including cell phones, tablets, laptops, and televisions, emit blue light. And exposure to blue light close to bedtime can interfere with your sleep cycle by disrupting your body’s production of the sleep hormone melatonin. So power down your electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime (no more late-night scrolling!).

Engage in calming activities: Develop a pre-sleep ritual that includes calming activities. These activities could be things like…

• Reading a book
• Taking a warm bath or shower
• Practicing yoga, meditation, or deep-breathing exercises 
• Listening to calming music or binaural beats

Avoid stimulants and alcohol: Refrain from consuming caffeine or large meals close to bedtime, as they can interfere with your ability to fall asleep. You should also refrain from drinking alcohol. Alcohol can initially make you feel drowsy. However, can disrupt your sleep later in the night. After drinking alcohol, your sleep quality is likely to be poorer, leading to more frequent awakenings and shallower sleep cycles.

Optimize your sleep environment

Creating an ideal sleep environment is important for getting a good night’s rest. Here are some tips to improve your sleep environment. 

You can use blackout curtains or shades to block any external light from entering the room. Consider using an eye mask if you can’t eliminate all sources of light.

Keep your bedroom cool, ideally 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit or 15-20 degrees Celsius. Use breathable bedding and pajamas to regulate your body temperature. Buy a comfortable mattress and pillows that support your preferred sleeping position. Replace your mattress and pillows if they’re old and no longer provide adequate support.

Remove unnecessary items from your bedroom to create a clean and calming space. Organize and declutter to minimize stress and promote relaxation.

Wear earplugs or use a white noise machine to block out disruptive sounds. You could also use a fan or an app that produces deep sleep sounds, such as…

• Sleep Sounds by Sleep Pillow
• White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds
• BetterSleep

Practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques

Mindfulness and relaxation techniques are powerful tools to improve sleep by calming the mind and reducing stress and anxiety. Here are some practices you can incorporate into your bedtime routine. 

Deep breathing: Practice deep, slow breathing to relax your nervous system. Inhale deeply through your nose and hold for a few seconds. Then, exhale slowly through your mouth. Focus on the sensation of your breath and how it feels throughout your body. 

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR): Tense and relax each muscle group, starting with your toes, then progressively working your way up your body. Practicing PMR helps release physical tension so you can fall asleep more easily. 

Mindful meditation: Practice mindfulness meditation by focusing your attention on your breath, a specific sound, or a mantra, such as…

• “I am at peace.”
• “My mind is calm. My body is relaxed.”
• “Inhale peace. Exhale tension.”
• “I am grateful for this rest.” 
• “My thoughts slow down. My mind becomes still.”
• “I welcome sleep with an open heart.”

If your mind starts to wander, gently return it to the focal point. Continue this practice until you feel calm and sleepy. 

Guided imagery: Imagine yourself in a peaceful and calming place, such as floating in a serene, mountainside lake. Visualize the details and engage your senses to create a vivid mental image. Guided imagery can help shift your attention away from stressors that may keep you up at night.

Yoga or gentle stretching: Engage in some light yoga or gentle stretching exercises to release tension from your muscles. Incorporate slow, deliberate movements and focus on your breath.

Mindful walking: Take a short, slow walk before bedtime. Pay attention to each step, the way your feet feel on the ground, and your surroundings. This practice can help clear your mind.

Journaling: Spend ten minutes writing down your thoughts and feelings before bedtime to unload your mind. Journaling is a helpful way to process stress and worries, clearing your mind for sleep.

Aromatherapy: Use essential oils like lavender, chamomile, or bergamot, which are known for their relaxing properties. You can diffuse them in your bedroom, use a pillow spray or scented sachet, or apply an aromatherapy roll-on to your pulse points. 

Seek professional help if necessary

If you’ve tried a bunch of strategies and still struggle to achieve high-quality sleep, consider seeking professional help. Consult a healthcare provider or sleep specialist who can evaluate your sleep patterns, identify any underlying sleep disorders, and provide personalized recommendations to help you sleep better. 

Prioritizing high-quality sleep is essential for your health and well-being. But remember, transforming your sleep habits requires consistency. Take the first step today and start sleeping better as soon as possible.

Dr. Meghna Dassani has practiced dentistry for over two decades and is passionate about the role dentists play in whole-body health. You can learn more at her website: MeghnaDassani.com.