By now, we all know sleep is super important for our mental and physical health.
And no matter what's keeping you up at night, I think we can all agree... we're TIRED. 😴
So we've gathered a bunch of useful hacks, tips, and habits to help you get better and more restorative sleep over time.
(And of course, if you've having more severe issues with sleep, definitely see your doctor to find out what's going on.)
1. Pick a consistent time to go to bed and wake up — and try to stick to it even on weekends.
2. Lay off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
3. If you're always tempted to look at your phone in bed, set it to Airplane mode when you walk into your room.
4. If you can't ditch your devices at night, at least enable a blue light filter when looking at them.
5. Keep your bedroom on the cooler side — ideally between 60 to 67 degrees.
6. Queue up some white, pink, or brown noise before bed.
7. Plug into a soothing audiobook to help you doze off.
8. If an audiobook feels like too much commitment, sleep podcasts are also a great option.
9. Or, for an even shorter before-bed commitment, try a sleep meditation.
10. If your room gets natural light earlier than you'd like it to, try a sleep mask or blackout curtains.
11. If you need something you can touch, try a weighted blanket.
12. Don't underestimate the power of total silence at bedtime — and using (comfortable) earplugs to get you there.
13. Set the bedtime mood with a soothing scent — like lavender, jasmine, or sandalwood.
14. Avoid eating large or heavy meals before bed — as well as caffeine and alcohol.
15. And if you *do* drink, make it chamomile tea.
16. Try melotonin — but remember that you need to take it earlier than you probably think you do.
17. Some people prefer taking ZzzQuil — to get the drowsy effect of medicine without actually taking medicine.
18. There's also the CBD route.
19. Use a sleep diary to track any patterns and figure out what helps or makes it harder for you to sleep.
20. Get some exercise during the day...
21. But take it easy with the naps.
22. Four letters: ASMR.
View this video on YouTube
ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, aka that tingly feeling you get on your head that moves down your spine. Trust, YouTube has no shortage of ASMR vids — from different 'triggers' to tapping sounds and massages, and even Cardi B. You can also check out ASMR University for more.