26 Ways to Upgrade Your Sleep

We routinely hear that sleep is important.  If you’re not yet persuaded, please take a look at my post called 5 Scary Effects of Sleep Deprivation for a list of the diseases, mental issues and weight problems that can result from not sleeping enough. If you’re like me, you need to upgrade your sleep.

What we don’t hear nearly as often are ways to improve the quality and results of our sleep. So here are…

26 Ways to Upgrade Your Sleep

Shawn Stevenson, author of the book Sleep Smarter: 21 Proven Tips to Sleep Your Way To a Better Body, Better Health and Bigger Success talks a lot about why we should be working on the quality of our sleep.

Generally, being awake is catabolic (breaks you down) and sleep is anabolic (builds you up). Sleep is actually an elevated anabolic state, heightening the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, skeletal, and muscular systems. Basically, sleep rebuilds you and keeps you youthful.

High quality sleep fortifies your immune system, balances your hormones, boosts your metabolism, increases physical energy, and improves the function of your brain.

It would be difficult to name something I haven’t done wrong when it comes to sleep.  But after researching, I believe sleep does so much for us that it’s important to learn how to optimize it.

The good news is, you can get started improving the quality of your sleep – overnight (literally)!  Here are some tips to get you started.

General Preparation & Lifestyle

1. Black out the room

Did you know your skin has receptors that can detect light?  That explained a lot of my wake-ups.  When even a little light is detected by your skin, messages start going to your brain to begin the wake-up process.  For me, it was the light from my alarm clock, the front porch light of our house and even a bright orange LED light on the TV.

The best solution is to black out the room.  Get some “blackout” curtains, go to sleep at a time when it will be dark outside for 8 hours and cover up all the LED’s, including those on your clock.  The goal is for the room to be so dark, you can’t see your hand in front of your face.

Dr Joseph Mercola says

Even the tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your internal clock and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and serotonin. Even the tiniest glow from your clock radio could be interfering with your sleep. Close your bedroom door, and get rid of night-lights. Refrain from turning on any light at all during the night, even when getting up to go to the bathroom.

Skin has light receptors. The tiniest light can trigger wake-up hormones. Click To Tweet

2. Exercise Regularly

Do Burst or HIIT (no more than 5x per week) and weight training (3x per week).  No long cardio in the evening because it may energize you and make it more difficult to fall asleep.

3. Create a sleep sanctuary

Limit use of the bed to sleep and sexual activity.  Never bring work to bed with you.

4. Keep the room cool

Shawn Stevenson

Something called thermoregulation strongly influences your body’s sleep cycles. When it’s time for your body to rest, there is an automatic drop in your core body temperature to help initiate sleep. If the temperature in your environment stays too high, then it can be a bit of a physiological challenge for your body to get into the ideal state for restful sleep. Studies have found that the ideal room temperature for sleep is around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything above 75 or below 54 will likely cause some difficulty sleeping.

Dr Mercola says

When you sleep, your body’s internal temperature drops to its lowest level, generally about four hours after you fall asleep. Scientists believe a cooler bedroom may therefore be most conducive to sleep, since it mimics your body’s natural temperature drop.

5. Consider separate bedrooms

Sharing a bed with a partner (or pets) can significantly impair sleep, especially if the partner is a restless sleeper or snores. If bedfellows are consistently interfering with your sleep, you may want to consider a separate bedroom.

6. Lose excess weight

Being overweight can increase your risk of sleep apnea, which can seriously impair your sleep.

7. Avoid foods you may be sensitive to

Dr. Mercola

This is particularly true for sugar, grains, and pasteurized dairy. Sensitivity reactions can cause excess congestion, gastrointestinal upset, bloating and gas, and other problems.

During the Day

8. Get plenty of sunlight during the day

Shawn Stevenson

One of the most vital things that induces great sleep is your body’s natural secretion of a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland in your brain and sends a signal to regulate the sleep-wake cycle in your body.

The production and secretion of melatonin is powerfully affected by light exposure. Sunlight provides the natural spectrum of light that we need to help coordinate the cycle of melatonin production. Get more light during the day, less light at night, and you’re on your way to having a magic sleep formula.

9. No caffeine after 3 in the afternoon

I was surprised to learn that caffeine has a 12 hour half life.  That means half the caffeine you drink at noon will still be in your system at midnight.  Remember that chocolate can contain caffeine also.

10. Get proper nutrition and supplements

Magnesium from nuts seeds and dairy (if not sensitive to dairy) – Magnesium is the an anti-stress mineral that helps optimize circulation and blood pressure, balance blood sugar, relax muscles, reduce pain and calm the nervous system.  It also tends to get depleted from our bodies quickly, so a deficiency is likely.

Omega 3 – from fatty fish like salmon or high quality fish oil supplements

Chamomile – an excellent tea to have before bed, shown to calm the muscles and nervous system.

Kava Kava – has sedative properties and is commonly used to treat sleeplessness and fatigue.

Valarian – a moderate sedative, this is indicated for individuals that have a difficult time falling asleep, and also promotes uninterrupted sleep.

Shawn Stevenson

Melatonin supplementation can be very effective for SOME people. But it can potentially down-regulated the ability of your body to produce its own melatonin. This is an actual hormone supplement, so unless you want to chance creating a dependency on this, I’d say avoid it and try other things first.

Dr. Mercola on melatonin supplementation

Ideally it is best to increase levels naturally with exposure to bright sunlight in the daytime (along with full spectrum fluorescent bulbs in the winter) and absolute complete darkness at night. If that isn’t possible, you may want to consider a melatonin supplement. In scientific studies, melatonin has been shown to increase sleepiness, help you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep, decrease restlessness, and reverse daytime fatigue. Melatonin is a completely natural substance, made by your body, and has many health benefits in addition to sleep.

Nightly Preparation

11. Avoid the blue light emitted by electronic screens

The blue light of morning triggers the body to produce daytime hormones like cortisol.  To get the deepest sleep, turn off the screens an hour before bed time.  It is also possible to filter out the blue light.

Dr. Mercola says

Install a low-wattage yellow, orange, or red light bulb if you need a source of light for navigation at night. Light in these bandwidths does not shut down melatonin production in the way that white and blue bandwidth light does. Salt lamps are handy for this purpose. You can also download a free application called f.lux that automatically dims your monitor or screens.

12. No TV right before bed

TV is too stimulating to the brain, preventing you from falling asleep quickly. TV disrupts your pineal gland function.

13. Establish a bedtime routine

The key is to find something that makes you feel relaxed, then repeat it each night to help you release the tensions of the day.

14. Take a hot bath or shower before bed

When your body temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime, facilitating slumber. The temperature drop from getting out of the bath signals your body it’s time for bed.  Also, try adding a couple of drops of lavender or chamomile essential oil to bath water – both are very relaxing aromas.

15. Wear socks to bed

Feet have poorer circulation and often feel cold before the rest of the body. A study has shown that wearing socks to bed reduces night waking. As an alternative, you could place a hot water bottle near your feet at night.

16. Limit snacks to high protein near bed time

Aim for a minimum of 90 minutes between your last food of the day and bed time.  A high protein snack can provide the L-tryptophan needed for your melatonin and serotonin production.  Also eat a small piece of fruit to help the tryptophan cross your blood-brain barrier.  Don’t eat a lot of carbs right before bed.

17. Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars

These will raise your blood sugar and delay sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you may wake up and be unable to fall back asleep.

18. Don’t drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed

This will reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom, or at least minimize the frequency.

19. Avoid alcohol

Shawn Stevenson

Did you know that you actually get smarter while you sleep? One of the most valuable, and overlooked aspects of sleep is a process called memory processing. This is basically where short-term memories and experiences get converted into long-term memories.

Memory processing is predominantly affected by different stages of REM sleep. Studies have proven the good news about drinking alcohol late in the evening is that you do, indeed, fall asleep faster. But the bad news is that REM sleep is significantly disrupted by alcohol being in your system. You won’t be able to fall into deeper levels of sleep, and your brain and body won’t be able to fully rejuvenate. This is why people generally don’t feel that great after waking up from an alcohol-laced sleep.

20. Avoid nicotine

Dr. Ronald Hoffman said in a web post about common sleep problems…

Nicotine can alter your energy patterns locking you into a constant pattern of stimulation from cigarettes. In addition, cigarette smoke contains high amounts of carbon monoxide, which can impair your tissue oxygenation. Cigarettes, like caffeine, can leave you wired but tired.

21. Listen to relaxation Music on CD, YouTube or Pandora

Some people find the sound of white noise or nature sounds, such as the ocean or forest, to be soothing for sleep.

22. Read something spiritual or uplifting

This helps some people relax. Just don’t read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, which has the opposite effect. In addition, if you are really enjoying a suspenseful book, you might be tempted to go on reading instead of going to sleep!

At Bedtime

23. Wear an eye mask to block out light

It’s not always easy to block out all light using curtains, particularly if your spouse has a different schedule than you do. In these cases, an eye mask can be helpful.

24. Go to bed by 10 pm

Shawn Stevenson

This is key! You can literally get amplified benefits of sleep by sleeping at the right hours. It’s been shown that humans get the most significant hormonal secretions and recovery by sleeping during the hours of 10 pm and 2 am. You get the most rejuvenating effects during this time, and any sleep that you get in addition is a bonus.

The most beneficial sleep occurs between 10 pm and 2 am. Click To Tweet

Dr. Mercola

Your body (particularly your adrenal system) does a majority of its recharging between the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into your liver, which can further disrupt your health.

25. Go to bed at the same time every night

Make it a ritual so your body comes to expect it.  That includes on the weekends!  If your sleep is optimized, there won’t be any need to sleep in.

26. Go to the bathroom right before bed

This will reduce the chances that you’ll wake up to go in the middle of the night.

How much sleep is enough?

According to a review of over 300 studies published between 2004 and 2014, the recommendation of a panel led by Harvard professor Charles Czeisler was to aim for right around 8 hours per night; more for children.

It’s worth the effort to get better at sleep!

If you find one of these suggestions helpful to you, I would love to hear about it!  Just leave a reply below.  And be sure to share these tips with anyone you may know that is struggling with sleep.

Also, if you would like to receive more helpful information like this, please subscribe to my email list!

Thanks for reading!
Jeff