10 Easy Ways to Sleep Better in 2021

Sleep is essential, but it hasn’t always been easy to get the best quality rest during a tumultuous year. Read on to find ways to tweak your daily routine for better, more restful slumber and find out how to fall asleep faster.

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December 11, 2020

By: Gloria Ballard

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Better Sleep, Better Health

You know why it’s important to sleep. This is when your body and mind rest and recharge in order to function well the next day. But there’s much more. “It’s difficult to find an aspect of physical or mental wellbeing that doesn’t depend on a good night’s sleep,” says Natalie D. Dautovich, Ph.D., environmental fellow at the non-profit National Sleep Foundation and an assistant professor in psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. “From the ability to ward off illness, to better cognitive, emotional, social functioning, as well as lowering risk for numerous cancers and health conditions, healthy sleep is a critical foundation for our overall health.” Read on for 10 ways to get a better night’s rest.

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1: Stick to a Schedule

For healthy adults, the recommended amount of sleep is at least seven hours, so you should set aside no more than eight hours each day for sleep, say medical specialists at Mayo Clinic. Consistency is key. How to fix your sleep schedule? First, go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Try to limit the difference in your sleep schedule on weeknights and weekends to no more than one hour. If you go to bed but don’t fall asleep within about 20 minutes, leave the bedroom and do something relaxing; read or listen to soothing music, and go back to bed when you are tired. Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle, sleep specialists say. A good night's sleep is critical, especially the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep that occurs 90 minutes into sleep and at intervals throughout the night. Experts believe that REM sleep is beneficial for your mood, memory and learning.

2: Establish a Routine

Parents are encouraged to establish a quiet-down routine for their toddlers. It works just as well to establish a bedtime routine for yourself. The American Heart Association suggests these steps for settling in to bedtime: Set an alarm to remind yourself when it’s time to sleep. Spend a few minutes getting ready for tomorrow, jotting tasks on a to-do list so you don’t fret about remembering them in the morning. Quiet your mind with meditation or journaling, for instance. Wind down by reading before you drift off — a real book or magazine, not a screen. Why? Read on…

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3: Go Dark

Limit your exposure to bright light in the evenings. Scrolling through your phone at bedtime stimulates your brain, making it more difficult to sleep. In addition, the bright light of a smartphone, computer screen or TV can affect your sleep pattern and keep you revved up when you should be winding down. “Avoid bright screens at bedtime,” the American Heart Association suggests. “Leave the electronics and social media behind.”

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4: Improve Your Environment

“The best room for sleeping is one that’s quiet, dark and a comfortable temperature that’s a bit on the cool side,” says Natalie D. Dautovich, Ph.D., at the National Sleep Foundation and Assistant Professor in Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Even the color you choose for your bedroom walls can affect your slumber. Practitioners of feng shui recommend warm tones such as cream, peach, coral, cocoa and similar hues to create a cozy atmosphere. What you don’t want, experts say, are bright, energetic shades — red, bright yellow, lime green, for example — that act as stimulants. If you’re set on those colors, go for the softer, muted versions.

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5: Discover Relaxation Techniques

It’s important to power down your brain before sleep, and many people turn to meditation or relaxation exercises. “Overthinking right before bed is going to keep the brain in an active brain pattern that’s not conducive to sleep,” says Susanna Barry, who develops stress management, mindfulness, healthy sleep and other programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Meditation apps such as Headspace and Calm — and there are dozens more available — offer guided meditation and body scan sessions designed to encourage the body to shift from daytime stress to evening quiet.

6: Take Time for Exercise

But not right before bedtime! True, an active body eventually gets tired, which helps bring on nighttime sleepiness. Regular exercise is important to relieve stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle, but the endorphins released by a good workout can be stimulating. It’s best to schedule exercise at least a few hours before bedtime, say health experts at the online counseling service Better Help.

7: Home Remedies

Before you reach for the pharmaceutical sleep aids, head to the kitchen. Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., medical director of Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep, suggests three beverages that may improve your sleep: warm milk, chamomile tea and tart cherry juice. “Warm milk has long been believed to be associated with chemicals that simulate the effects of tryptophan,” a chemical building block for serotonin, which aids in the sleep-wake transition, Gamaldo says. Chamomile tea is believed to have flavonoids that may interact with receptors in the brain that are also involved with the sleep-wake transition. Tart cherry juice might support melatonin production for a healthy sleep cycle. Though there is little scientific proof that these home remedies will work, there’s no harm in trying them.

8: Watch What You Eat and Drink

A heavy meal right before bedtime may keep you tossing and turning all night. Digestion slows down at night, so it’s best to avoid fatty or high-protein foods that can leave your uncomfortably full, and spicy foods that can cause heartburn and disrupt sleep, according to The National Sleep Foundation. If you are hungry before bedtime, eat a snack that’s light and easy to digest. Caffeine is a well-known sleep disruptor, so coffee shortly before bedtime is a bad idea; other foods — such as chocolate — may contain caffeine as well. Alcohol can help you feel relaxed and drowsy, but when the effects of the drinks wear off, you may find yourself awake and unable to get back to sleep.

9: Mattress Matters

If your mattress sags or is full of lumps and bumps, it’s likely affecting the quality of your sleep. “The mattress is the foundation of a good night’s rest,” says Lissa Coffey at The Better Sleep Council. If you’ve been sleeping on the same mattress for longer than five to seven years and begin to wake up with aches and pains, stiffness or numbness, evaluate its condition. “Check in with your mattress regularly to find out if you need a replacement. You may not even be aware your mattress has gotten old and worn until you think about it,” Coffey says. “Evaluate for lumps and bumps and signs of wear. It’s probably time to get a new one.”

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10: Wake Up Relaxed

Habitually waking up with anxiety in the morning can put your whole day on edge, causing stress that can affect your sleep at night. “Waking up with anxiety can be extremely undesirable and, as such, it is necessary to have exercises in place that will help you overcome this anxious start and better set yourself up for success right away,” says Dylan Buckley, a writer on mental health and wellness issues for Better Help. Physical activity, morning meditation, journaling, finding positive affirmations and a proper diet are all good ways to break the anxiety/poor sleep cycle, he says.

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