Our sleep challenge for you is to evaluate your nighttime routine and create some changes to help foster a good-nights-sleep. Scroll down for another challenge that might help you get a good night’s sleep.

Sleep Challenge

Come up with a wind-down routine to follow each night.

Here’s a list of relaxing behaviors that may help your body prepare for a restful night.

  1. Avoid stimulants like coffee, caffeine, tobacco, chocolate etc. after 2pm.
  2. Dim the lights or consider amber warm 2000K vintage reading light bulbs for the bedroom. And if you do get up often during the night, install a dim red bulb in your bathroom; it’s less stimulating than bright white light and won’t disrupt the flow of melatonin in your brain.
  3. Shut down electronics 30-60 minutes before bedtime, stop watching TV, checking email, and scrolling on social media. Try reading a book, flipping through a magazine, or doing a relaxing word search or sudoku.
  4. Limit evening food and drinks – A large meal or spicy snack too close to bedtime can leave your digestive system working overtime while the rest of your body lies awake. And alcohol with or without dinner may make you drowsy, but it will disrupt your sleep patterns later in the night and keep you from getting the deep, restorative REM sleep you need to feel refreshed.
  5. Journal – write down what you are thinking about. Lists of things to do, what happened today, what your plans are tomorrow, goals for the week, ideas, feelings you had today. Or keep a stack of pretty notecards on the nightstand to write down encouraging words and mail to special people. Snail mail still feels special to receive!
  6. Take a hot bath.

Having a good bedtime routine is just as important as getting enough sleep each night. Create your relaxing routine.

Another Challenge – Declutter Your Bedroom

What vibe do you feel when you walk into your bedroom? Busy? Overwhelmed? Stressed out from the clutter?
Make a change. Declutter your bedroom today and see if it makes a difference for you. Your bedroom should be a cozy haven for you to relax and drift off into slumberland.

declutter your bedroom challenge

 

We’ve compiled more tips to help you get a good night’s sleep. 

If you find that you are still having issues falling asleep—and staying asleep—

Let us know at your next appointment so we can help you get to the root of the problem and improve your zzz’s.

Schedule an appointment.

 

Originally posted August 2022.