Tips & Tricks to Get A Restful Night in Prep for An Early Wake-Up

If you’re like me and had never heard the term “sleep hygiene” until now - you’re not alone. For our eldest, we hired a sleep consultant and the first thing that she asked was how we were implementing sleep hygiene…. Ummm, what?

Well, I’ll save you the consulting fee and give you the nitty gritty details of sleep hygiene, why it’s important and why implementation will get you and your family a better night’s rest.

Since I’m sure you’re reading this slightly bleary eyed grab your cup of coffee and settle in for how you’re going to get more rest tonight! 

Let’s start with the definition of Sleep Hygiene:
Sleep hygiene refers to having BOTH a bedroom environment and a set of practices and habits that are designed to promote consistent, uninterrupted, restful sleep to improve overall sleep quality.

Great - who doesn’t want that?! Now, why is it important?

Because the quality of your sleep can significantly impact your physical and mental well-being, as well as your daily performance and productivity.

Now, for you nay-sayer’s out there. There are a whole internet’s worth of statistics out there to tell you how bad chronic sleep deprivation is for learning, memory, mood, reaction time, mental health, physical health. But here’s one statistic that I want you to remember - “Chronic sleep restriction (routinely getting less than 7 hours of sleep a night) for a week requires more than 3 nights of recovery sleep to return to fully rested levels.

AKA - You cannot make up for it on the weekends. . .

I want you to remember this, because this quote seems pretty normal right? Sleeping on 7 hours or less regularly and having the mindset of ‘oh, I’ll just sleep in on the weekend’ to recover. It doesn’t work out. 

So, what is the prescribed amount of sleep times (this includes naps)?

Adults need 7 - 8 hours, adolescents need 10 and depending on the age of your infant, they need even more. If you aren’t sure for you or your family - it is always best to check with your doctor. 

And look I’m not here to shame you into sleeping more, I’m trying to highlight that good sleep is vitally important. So, here’s what you can do about it - and what I paid a wonderful sleep coach to tell me. 

#1 The Environment:
Yes, your actual bedroom is a determining factor into your sleep quality. 

Outside of making sure you have a comfortable mattress, pillows and coverlet, having a space that is conducive to sleep is step 1. Your room needs to be cool (68 - 70* F at night), dark (you can invest in black out blinds or a much cheaper option, eye covers and have a quiet space.

If you live in a space where noise is an issue, I personally have become a true believer in white noise machines. They block environmental noises and the noise is almost like a pavlovian cue for me that it’s time to go to sleep. 

Our sleep coach also was a big advocate of using the bedroom for the things it’s intended for - relaxing, sleeping and for consenting adults - sex. Don’t watch TV in bed, don’t eat in bed, etc. because you want to train your brain that when you come into bed, you’re using it for largely - rest. 

#2 - The Routine:
Yes, having an evening routine helps your brain start winding down so that by the time you’re actually in bed you drift off quickly. Here are the top 4 points to work on before bedtime.

Point 1 - Target going to bed and waking up consistently around the same time everyday, this helps regulate your body’s internal clock.

Point 2 - If you had an ideal evening, what would that look like? How can incorporate those aspects into your regular day-to-day life? This could look like incorporating reading, taking a bath or shower, meditating, writing in a journal… What feels the most relaxing for you? Whatever that looks like, make it a realistic routine that you can accomplish regularly. Again, we’re training our brains to get ready for rest. 

Point 3 - Limit exposure to screens & light - we’ve already talked about eye covers, but limiting or eliminating blue light from screens before bed because - More so than any other color, blue light messes with your body's ability to prepare for sleep because it blocks a hormone called melatonin that makes you sleepy. Bottom line: You're less drowsy than usual at night, and it takes you longer to fall asleep.

Point 4 - Be cognizant of the foods you are consuming before bed - heavy meals, spicy foods, caffeine, and alcohol as they can impact your overall quality of sleep. 

By practicing good sleep hygiene, you can improve the quality and duration of your sleep, which can lead to better physical and mental health, increased productivity, and an improved overall sense of well-being.

I’ll say here that clearly I am not a medical professional, and everyone’s sleep needs are going to be different, but as someone who has had various sleep struggles - these are the aspects you can safely experiment with to find what works best for you.

If you find that although you’re doing these components and still struggling, consider seeing a professional to figure out how to best get a good night's rest. Now, as my last send off, here’s my evening routine. Maybe this will work for you too.

7 PM - My alarm goes off, I set up what I need for the following morning (my coffee, vitamins and my various devices are plugged in).

By 7:30 I get my toddler in the shower. I wash my face, brush my teeth, put on my PJ’s. Brush his teeth, put on his PJ’s. Thermostat gets set for the evening.

We read 2 - 3 books in his room (dimly lit, white noise machine is on). I wish him goodnight and head into my own bed. If I’m not drowsy by this point I’ll read, but usually pop my eye covers on and am pretty much nodding off.

I wish you restful slumber and if you found this video helpful, please let me know in the comments!