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Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This): 6 Tips for Better Sleep

March 6, 2018

Who doesn’t need more sleep? Daylights savings time is upon us yet again, bringing longer days and early-morning sunshine. Luckily for the sleep-deprived among us, it also means an extra hour of sleep – and another 60 blessed minutes of shut-eye can do wonders for those dark circles. If you want to make the most of this strange historical event, try our favorite sleeping tips and get your snooze on.

1. Power Down

For many of us, Instagram is the last thing we see at night and the first thing we see when we wake up. But when you’re trying to turn off your brain and fall asleep, the last thing you need is a bright light in your eyes and unlimited information at your fingertips. So, an hour before bed, surgically remove your smartphone from your palm, turn off the TV, and snuggle up with a nice paperback.

2. Get Some Exercise

If you’re having trouble sleeping, it may simply be because your body isn’t tired (can we get an amen from our fellow desk jobbers?!) Regular exercise is important for overall health and wellness, but also helps improve sleep. Whether you lift weights or simply go for a morning walk, consistency is key.

3. Create a Bedtime Routine

Remember when you were a kid and slept like an actual baby? Every night, you’d take a nice warm bath, put on some footie PJs, and have someone read you a bedtime story before hitting the hay. Try to get your adult self into a similar routine that will signal to your body it’s time for sleep. Make yourself a cup of herbal tea, listen to calming music, or take a few minutes to meditate - whatever helps you relax!

4. Eat Right

Downing half a dozen buffalo wings 10 minutes before bedtime is not exactly conducive to a peaceful night’s sleep – hello, spicy food nightmares. Try to stick to a well-balanced diet, and eat dinner about two hours before bedtime to reduce indigestion and other sleep-disrupting issues.

5. The Bed is for Sleeping

...and sex. But mostly sleeping. You don’t want your brain getting confused about what it’s supposed to be doing here, so computers, TVs, half-eaten pizzas, and other non-mattress related shenanigans should be relegated to more appropriate places in the house.

6. Use a Sleep Tracker

We use apps to track everything from our periods to our daily steps - why not sleep? A sleep tracking app like this one can offer helpful insights into your sleep patterns, and will wake you up gradually during your lightest phase of sleep so getting out of bed is just that much easier