With sleep being so important to your bodies health and wellness, you really do owe it to yourself to get the best quality sleep possible every night. If you’re not sleeping well, what you’re doing during the day could be to blame. Similar to cooking, it is the timing and not just the ingredients that make all the difference. With sleep, preparing during the day for a restful night is equally as important as your environment or bedtime routine. If you have already applied the basic tips on how to help ensure a better night’s sleep from our last post, the next step is to look at how to improve your day and early evening routines so you can help maximize your chances of a better night’s sleep.

1. Soak in the Sunlight

Sunlight helps to set your body’s natural circadian rhythm for the rest of the day. By fitting in some sun time early, such as by taking a walk or bike ride, you will likely feel more alert during the day and set up for success when it is time to go to bed.

2. Train Earlier

Though exercise has been shown to improve sleep, it should be done hours before bedtime. Getting your blood flowing too late in the day could keep you up later than you’d like.

3. Take a Nap

Naps aren’t just for tots; adults can benefit from midday siestas, too. Keep them short, approximately ten to 30 minutes long to improve productivity and mood, without also pushing back your scheduled bedtime. Want to know the best time of day to benefit from some extra shuteye? Take a spin on the Nap Wheel.

4. Chill on the Caffeine

With a half-life of three to seven hours, the effects of caffeine can linger longer than you might think. If you are having a hard time going to sleep, ditch that afternoon cup of coffee or soft drink. If you need an energy boost, get up and move around instead of staying sedentary at your desk.

5. Nix the Nightcap

While alcohol does make you drowsy, drinking it too close to bedtime can negatively affect your quality of sleep. A drink at happy hour or with dinner should have time to metabolize before bed, but skip later cocktails for a better night’s rest.

If you are having trouble getting consistent quality sleep let your practitioner know at your next appointment and we will do our best to assist you. We'll also be posting more to our Sleep Well Blog Series focused on improving sleep in the coming weeks.

‍