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5 Sleep Tips for Better Sleep

While we usually think of the things we do immediately before bed as the causes of good or bad sleep, it’s important to consider the whole day and not just bedtime. So much of what we do during the day can impact our sleep. Here are 5 tips that can help you get a better night’s sleep.

Woman walking through a park on a sunny day

1) Natural Light

Get out into natural light for at least 30 minutes each day

Woman in a swimming pool smiling and adjusting her goggles

2) Exercise

Get some exercise to build pressure and feel sleepy.

Woman sat at her laptop holding a coffee cup and looking tired

3) Caffeine

Avoid too many caffeine-based drinks, especially in the afternoon, as this can cause issues getting to sleep.

Primary school-aged boy asleep in bed

4) Napping

Avoid napping during the day, as this can relieve sleep pressure, preventing you from feeling tired come bedtime. Children under 4 years old may still need a daytime nap.

Woman awake and smiling in bed

5) Waking up

Get up at a regular time each morning, even if you didn’t sleep well. Having a lie-in to “catch up” is likely to affect your ability to sleep the next night.

Putting it all together

Routines are essential for good sleep. To improve our sleep, we must prepare our body and mind appropriately for bedtime. A proper bedtime routine, combined with a solid daily routine, helps us reduce our cortisol levels (the stress hormone that keeps us awake and alert), allowing melatonin to be produced and helping us feel sleepy.
Are you getting enough sleep?