We’d all love to get a bit more sleep every night but that’s sometimes wishful thinking. Sleep is important to get and it’s something that can be sacrificed for other things in life that take up that precious time.
With a recommended seven to nine hours of rest per night, it’s unlikely that everyone is getting that level of sleep each night. With that in mind, what tips could help improve the amount of sleep you’re getting every night? Here are six tips for getting more sleep every night in 2023.
Remove all electronic devices from sight an hour before bedtime
Before going to bed, it’s important to practice mindfulness and give your brain the rest it needs from the day it’s had. While it may be tempting to start up your laptop, or tablet, or browse on your mobile phone from bed, this doesn’t help your mind to shut off.
In fact, it does the opposite. With blue light coming from your devices, your brain becomes wired and doesn’t relax. Therefore, you’ll find yourself tossing and turning in bed, taking longer to fall asleep as a result. If that sounds like you at the moment, remove those electronic devices from sight. Ideally, you want to remove them an hour before bedtime.
Giving yourself time to unwind an hour before bed without any access to electronics, will help greatly.
Declutter your space
If you can think of your bedroom as a simple, clutter-free space in which to unwind and relax, you may sleep better. Go through contained spaced such as bedside tables, under the bed, dressing table and drawers and consider what you need. Or you could declutter by category. If you would like tips to declutter your wardrobe, check out this blog post.
Invest in a good mattress and bed
To help ensure you’re getting a good night’s sleep, check the quality of your mattress. You may find that after several years, the mattress that was once brand new, is no longer in good condition. While some mattresses and beds can last beyond their years, it’s something that you certainly want to consider replacing if you’re struggling to sleep.
Investing in a good mattress and bed from Bed Shops, for example, is a great way of elevating your sleep and relaxation in bed. Make sure you’re testing out all of the different mattress types in order to find the right type for you. Some prefer a harder bed, while others need soft and squishy options.
You may need one that conforms to your body like memory foam if you need to help support your body in different ways.
Take a bath and wrap up warm
Sometimes it’s not just the bed that makes the difference, but everything leading up to that point. For example, you may find that taking a bath and wrapping up warm is an excellent way to relax.
Throw some bubble bath into the water and any relaxing bath oils that you can get your hands on. Have your dressing gown ready and warmed up on the bathroom radiator. It’s these little touches that will make the difference in winding down and feeling sleepy in the evening.
Enjoy a hot milky beverage
A hot milky beverage is very useful when it comes to getting more sleep every night. From Ovaltine to tea or just hot milk. Hot drinks are great for relaxing the body and when you’re enjoying it in bed, it’s often a great solution to tiring your mind out.
Make sure you pop it in the same mug every evening as this gives your brain a routine and will trigger it to know that it’s nearly time for bed.
Read a book
Reading a book is a great alternative to using your mobile phone or other electronic devices. With a book, you don’t have a harsh blue light and you can read it under a night light without distracting your partner from sleeping next to you.
Challenge yourself to read a chapter every night if you can and when you don’t feel sleepy, continue reading. You’ll find that by reading in bed, you’ll find yourself drifting off to sleep a lot easier as a result.
Listen to spa music
Lastly, when all else has failed, a great option for those who need to relax is spa music. Spa music is used when you get massages or you’re relaxing around the pool at a fancy hotel break.
Bringing the spa to your bedroom is a great way of helping to relax and slowly drift off to sleep. Try it every so often to see if it makes a difference to your sleeping habits in bed.
Getting more sleep every night is important for your health and for your mood. Make sure to follow these tips to give yourself the best chance of getting enough sleep every night.