Counting Sheep

While it’s easy to blame how you’re feeling on your diet or your exercise routine, sleep is just as important, if not more important, to your wellness. Poor sleep can hinder your performance in school, exercise, and can have several other negative health effects. Getting good sleep isn’t just the amount of sleep you are getting, but also the quality of sleep. At a time where having optimal brain function is of much importance, I want to share some things you can implement in your routine to get a better night’s sleep.

Blue light is emitted from the many screens we look at, and it could be the culprit that’s keeping you up at night. Blue light exposure can mess with your body’s circadian rhythm by making it think it’s daytime and can also reduce the sleep hormone melatonin. While it’s hard, staying away from screens 2 hours before bed can allow your body to naturally fall into sleep. Some more sustainable tips are to use blue light glasses or turn on night mode on your phone, both of which block the blue light.

Try getting into a regular sleep/wake cycle to optimize your body’s circadian rhythm. Going to sleep and waking up around the same times every day can allow you to eventually get tired naturally and wake up without an alarm because the body’s melatonin levels align with its circadian rhythm.

If you’re worried about becoming dependent on a melatonin supplement to sleep, there are several other natural supplements that can aid your sleep. These can include gingko biloba, glycine, valerian root, magnesium, L-theanine, and lavender. Remember to only try one of these supplements at a time.

Create your perfect night routine that optimizes your relaxation. This will be different for everyone, but activities such as a hot bath or shower, meditation, relaxing music, and reading a book can get your mind into a relaxed state after a long day. Try switching out screen time for a book in the hour before you go to bed!

I hope you can take some of these tips and use them to craft your perfect relaxing night routine. There’s nothing better than falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow instead of staying up counting sheep!