Five Things To Consider For A Better Night's Sleep

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1. Ditch your phone or tablet.

Melatonin is vital in helping you fall asleep. However, staring at your phone and tablet while lying in bed before you sleep exposes you to blue light. Various studies have shown that blue light contributes to the blocking of melatonin. Though the research is limited, some studies suggest that blue light contributes to other issues, such as headaches and eyestrain, that may impact sleep. If you can't ditch the phone or tablet, wearing blue light-blocking glasses may be an option to help dilute the effects of blue light and improve sleep.

2. Stop gaming for a few hours before you go to bed.

If your thumbs are too antsy and you can't stay away from all those little colorful moving pixels, one thing that may help is to give yourself a time cushion. Whether playing on an actual gaming console or a simple game app on your phone, you are not just exposing yourself to blue light but also overstimulating your mind, which may interfere with relaxing and getting into sleep mode. Hold yourself accountable to stop playing for several hours before you sleep to give your mind a chance to unwind before closing your eyes.

3. Limit drinking alcohol before bed.

Drinking alcohol makes it difficult for your body to relax genuinely. In a study, "Alcohol and Sleep: Effects on Normal Sleep," all healthy participants, no matter what the dosage of alcohol, alcohol helped individuals initially fall asleep; however, there was a consistent increase in disruption of the subjects' sleep in the second half of the sleep cycle. Therefore, initially, alcohol may help, but alcohol impacts an individual's actual quality of sleep later in the evening. The result is waking up and not feeling rested. Instead of drinking alcohol, there are OTC sleep aids and particular types of herbal teas that help support healthy sleep. If you're having sleep problems impacting your day, always consult your primary care provider for diagnosis and treatment.

4. Build a conducive environment for sleeping.

Creating an environment to sleep in is just as crucial in adjusting your sleep habits for a better night's sleep. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) says, "A good sleep environment is dark, quiet, cool, and comfortable." They recommend heavy room darkening shades to block light, keeping a clear path to a bathroom, eliminating blue light, wearing an eye mask, turning off all phone and tablet alerts to eliminate unnecessary sounds, and regulating the room temperature. Studies suggest the ideal room temperature for sleep is between 60 and 67°F (15.6 and 19.4°C) at night.

5. Habit and consistency in your sleep routine

Just like any habit, it takes time and dedication to develop. A Healthline article on habits and forming new behaviors says, "It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit and an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic." If you want to work on improving your sleep, this will take dedication and the desire to build good habits and invest in your sleep health. If you have developed a sporadic sleep routine, this never gives your body the ability to adjust to a set time to unwind and begin relaxing. Finding a time and building a habit of committing to bed at a specific time of night may help you condition your body to allow sleep to happen more naturally.

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