Stumbling bleary-eyed to kitchen, I boot up the Keurig and gripe that it takes too long to make a single cup of coffee. It’s only seconds, so I realize I’m just tiredly impatient and the fault doesn’t likely lie with the innocent and loyal coffee maker. I know that I really need some better sleep.
I slog down my warm brew, or (more often) put it down and forget where I put it. Later, I’m struggling to focus on writing my latest blog post. I start on a topic. Get distracted by Facebook (or Twitter, or Pinterest, or Instagram, or… or… or…). Then, return to my writing, forget where I was and start a new topic – my original brilliant idea long forgotten like the dust bunnies under my bed. My ability to focus lies somewhere between an overly caffeinated squirrel and potted plant.
Sound familiar? Or is it just me? It’s probably just me, right? I know that it’s probably a lack of rest. Sleep… elusive sleep. I plan to implement the following steps to see if more shuteye is causing my clouded thinking and, sometimes, sleeping through my alarm.
Steps to Better Sleep
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You gotta move it, move it, move it
Exercise! Yep. I do this one. 5 times a week, I burn up the rug in the workout room. Exercise does more than just help you lose weight and lower your risks for several major health problems, Mayo Clinic reports that exercising during the day helps you sleep better at night.
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Stop the caffeine drip early.
Ugh! I’m going to have a huge problem with this. I love indulging a cup of coffee with a few Biscoff cookies as a late night snack. While doctors frequently herald drinking late night caffeine as a bad idea, the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine published a study that surprised me! The optimal time to stop drinking caffeine is 6 hours before bedtime! There goes my late night love affair with cookies and coffee. Guess I will switching out to an herbal tea, which I also love. It just doesn’t go as well with cookies.
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Set a clock to begin a bedtime routine.
What time is it? Really? It’s 2:30 am. I have to be up in a few hours, and I’m still up banging away on Facebook. Where did the time go? I usually think of setting a clock to get up. However, I’m going to try setting one about 30 minutes before bedtime, with a snooze for 10 minutes before bedtime. When it goes off, I know to begin my bedtime routine. Hopefully, this will help me get some better sleep.
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Screens Off.
We’ve already made our bedroom a primarily electronics-free zone. When we bought the house, it had a TV wall mount begging for a one-eyed-monster. We removed it, instead. While we aren’t huge TV watchers, like many people, we love to unwind with a favorite movie or binge-watching Netflix. WebMD says to turn off all screens 15-30 minutes before bed. Not only do they keep the mind in an alert state, but they also emit melatonin-killing light.
Since I don’t have to worry about removing the TV, I’ll just have to remember that, when that alarm goes off, so do my electronic devices. Goodbye Google Nexus, I miss you already!
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Switch out your bedding.
The National Sleep Foundation states that you may want to try switching your sheets out for a more breathable fabric if you want a better sleep experience. In a poll by the same organization, more than three-quarters of Americans also believe that the comfortable feel of sheets and bedding are important.
When we moved to Florida from Minnesota, our funds were understandably tight. I bought some cheap cotton sheets from one of those big-box stores. Later, we upgraded to organic 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. I can’t tell you how much I loved the feel of these, but they were actually too warm.
This week, we switched out to some sheets made from bamboo. Bamboo is more breathable than cotton and doesn’t trap heat like cotton. Bamboo bedding is actually 3 degrees cooler than cotton and wicks away moisture. We chose some from Cariloha because I like their closed-loop procedures which minimize the manufacturing process on the environment.
We’ve slept with them for a few days now and these are honestly the softest sheets I’ve ever slept on. They did actually keep us cooler and dryer. Since we live in humid, hot sub-tropical Florida weather, I greatly appreciated this added benefit.
Oh – and these bamboo sheets are beautiful to boot! They have this gorgeous sheen and feel like rayon, but aren’t slippery like satin.
So, that’s some of the things I have already implemented – and some of the steps we’ve committed to try. What tips do you have for better sleep?
I received a discount in exchange for an honest review.
Alicia Taylor
We enjoy hosting parties and my husband and I are both avid gamers. You can find me on PS4 as SunshineFlaGirl. We also play tabletop RPGs and eurogames.
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29 Comments
Learn to Banish Fatigue with Food - Eating for Energy - TaylorLife.com
January 18, 2017 - 3:04 pm[…] you feel tired and have trouble getting a good night’s sleep.  If you drink so much caffeine that your friends forward you social media memes featuring […]
Janeane Davis
April 20, 2016 - 12:04 pmThere were some interesting tips here on getting better sleep. The one about bedding is a good one. It is good to use nice, comfortable and enjoyable bedding. It makes the sleep experience a better one.
Alicia Taylor
April 20, 2016 - 8:34 pmYep – the mattress and sheets you sleep on can make a world of difference!
Sara
April 19, 2016 - 9:24 pmThese are great tips!!
I have a really easy tip for better sleep to share! My son and I both wake up several times a night. Someone suggested to me that we each take 2 teaspoons of honey at bedtime. We tried it and guess what? We are both sleeping all night long now!
Alicia Taylor
April 20, 2016 - 8:36 pmHoney? That’s a new one on me. I have it with my tea, and it hasn’t helped – but not a full 2 teaspoons. I’ll have to try that. Thanks for the tip
Claudia Krusch
April 19, 2016 - 9:17 pmSharing these tips with a friend! She has a lot of trouble sleeping!
brianna george
April 19, 2016 - 3:16 pmI need a new mattress. Also I need to do more exercise. I know that certainly has helped me sleep better at night.
Kristen
April 19, 2016 - 8:25 amI’m all about the switching of the bedding. I never cared too much what kind of bedding we had until recently – once I discovered that we sleep better with a particular thread count, there was no turning back!
Alicia Taylor
April 19, 2016 - 9:51 amI couldn’t agree more. I knew that your mattress was important, but never realized how important the sheets were.
Nicole
April 19, 2016 - 7:25 amI really need these tips! Thanks for this! That would be helpful.
Mama to 5 Blessings
April 19, 2016 - 7:14 amyour right that one did surprise me! There is nothing like sleeping on fresh soft clean sheets!
LIz Mays
April 19, 2016 - 6:56 amBamboo sheets are that awesome, huh? I definitely need to get a set over here too. I’m ALL about a sound sleep.
Rosey
April 19, 2016 - 4:50 amBreathable fabric really does make a difference. That’s a good one to add to an already smart list.
Rachael Yerkes
April 18, 2016 - 11:14 pmI love these tips. It is hard to turn off the screens. But I love the clean sheets tip. I definitely need to start using these more.
Chelley
April 18, 2016 - 10:49 pmThese are great tips! I really need to SHUT DOWN at night- that’s really my big issue.
christine
April 18, 2016 - 7:51 pmI have terrible sleep habits. I have such a hard time falling asleep – perhaps I should check out better sheets.
A Geek Daddy
April 18, 2016 - 5:53 pmMy problem is I’m just not a morning person and my mind seems to click better in the evening which makes me want to stay up. As I’ve been getting older though lately I’ve been getting more tired at night and not as easy for me to burn the midnight oil. Still find myself a bit restless going to bed though so these tips are all things I’ll keep in mind.
Alicia Taylor
April 19, 2016 - 9:53 amI am not either – and neither is my husband. We also consider ourselves serious geeks – and I’ve noticed that it’s an issue with most of the geeks I know. I think we are all too afraid we’ll miss something.
Amanda Love
April 18, 2016 - 4:37 pm#5 truly did surprise me. I didn’t think that changing my sheets would have made me sleep better. I may have to test that theory out.
Robin
April 18, 2016 - 4:27 pmA new bed helped me sleep a lot better last time I got one. It really can make all the difference in the world.
Alicia Taylor
April 18, 2016 - 4:37 pmOur mattress is about 8 years old, so it’s not too old.
Angela Banister
April 18, 2016 - 3:35 pmI have always been told people sleep better with air flow and a cool room…I know I sleep like a baby all snuggled up with my beloved (I only get those wonderful snuggles when he is cold- so I have to say I think the cold work for us lol)
Alicia Taylor
April 18, 2016 - 3:42 pmWell, those sheets will keep you even cooler 🙂 LOL.
monica
April 18, 2016 - 3:25 pmI so agree…a good nights sleep makes all the difference. The older I get the harder it is. I find some of the herbal teas help me relax and no wine…that’s the hard one…I am going to check out the bamboo sheets!
Alicia Taylor
April 18, 2016 - 3:33 pmYeah – No wine is easier than no coffee for me. Sometimes, I have a glass, though. I also love chamomile and lavender tea.
chastity
April 18, 2016 - 2:25 pmI need to start working on turning the screen off! I end up reading a book before bed, then always check my email. I should just wait until the morning for that.
Alicia Taylor
April 18, 2016 - 3:34 pmYes – one thing leads to another and the next thing you know – you’re wide awake and several hours later.
maria @ closetohome
April 18, 2016 - 2:12 pmI need to send this over to my husband. He has been sleeping so poorly lately.
Alicia Taylor
April 18, 2016 - 3:34 pmI hope it helps!