Day #4 of Sleep Awareness Week! In my last post, we discussed what Great Sleep Quality is, but how do we achieve such a thing? Here are a few simple steps you can take to achieve better sleep quality as an adult and for your children.
Steps to Take During the Day to Achieve Better Sleep Quality
- Take in Some Sun – Bright, natural light during the day (especially in the morning) can help manage our circadian rhythm. Even just 1 hour a day can help!
- Get Moving – Exercise can help reduce daytime sleepiness & allow for you to sleep deeper at night. (CDC recommends 2.5 hours of exercise a week for multiple health benefits)
- Limit Caffeine – Reducing caffeine, especially in the afternoon/evening hours, can improve sleep quality at night.
- Adjust Dinner Time – Make sure dinner isn’t too close to bedtime and is light. It’s suggested that dinner be 2-3 hours before bed.
Steps to Take at Night
- Create Bedtime Routine – This can help cue your body that you are getting ready for bed if you have a consistent routine.
- Sleep Schedule – Go to bed and wake up around the same time every day. This helps sync our circadian rhythm.
- Lower Lights – Dim the lights during the evening hours. This helps our melatonin production.
- Limit Screen Time – Electronic screens produce blue light which reduces our melatonin production and that is what tells our brain that it is time to sleep. Reducing screen time an hour prior to bed can be beneficial.
- Proper Sleep Environment – A dark room with temperature between 60-67 degrees (for babies I suggest 67-70 degrees). Comfortable bedding, as well as light white noise to help drown out unexpected outside disturbances.
If you missed the last post about how to know if you actually get good quality sleep, here is the link: https://monkeyroosleep.com/?p=3467
