Let's face it: none of us are getting the doctor-recommended 8 hours of quality sleep every night. Whether we're up late on the weekends, having too much fun, or cramming in overtime at work during the week, it can be hard to catch a full 8 hours of your best sleep. Add in kids and hobbies, and you're looking at the impossible.
It is possible to be a fully active adult living your best life while getting the best sleep possible. Here are some ways you can do just that. Hopefully, in just a week or so, you'll be feeling refreshed and rested like never before.
Invest In Your Bedroom
With more and more people living paycheck to paycheck, this can be a hard tip to follow, but it can easily improve your quality of sleep. Get a better mattress. Look into getting a high-quality body pillow. Use better quality sheets and blankets. You spend about a third of your life lying in bed, yet people are afraid to spend more than $500 on a mattress. Compare that to a new phone or TV, which is arguably less important and (usually) not used as much as a mattress.
Shut Your Phone Off
Buy an old-fashioned alarm if you have the extra cash, and never let your phone into the bedroom. Keep it outside, forcing you to get yourself ready for sleep every time you enter your bedroom. Don't put a TV on top of your dresser or at the foot of the bed, either. You want to reduce your electronic usage before bed.
By keeping your phone outside the bedroom, you're cutting down on the distractions that keep you from going to bed. No more doom scrolling, no more late-night texts, no more TikToks. It'll be hard at first, but you'll be surprised how quickly you start falling asleep once you stop spending hours on your phone winding down before bed. You'll also find that it's easier to get to bed on time, rather than claiming that you can't fall asleep.
Join in on Daytime Naps
Daytime naps are a necessity for young kids, and they often give parents a chance to catch up on chores and other activities. It may seem counterintuitive to use that time for a nap, but short naps can help you get more energy halfway through the day, helping you feel not so tired from restless or long nights. You'll wake up feeling refreshed and ready for round 2.
Follow a Schedule
This goes along with setting an alarm on an old school alarm clock, but following a schedule is important. Go to bed at the same time each night and try to wake up at the same time, too. Even if you have nothing planned, get up and out of bed. You'll find you have so much more time on your hands if you don't lay in bed for an hour each morning.
You'll also notice that your body will easily adapt to your new schedule, and you'll find yourself falling asleep and waking up without any extra conscious effort. Obviously, you can deviate from your schedule here and there, and going to bed an hour later than usual won't be the end of the world. But a consistent sleep pattern helps cue your body that it's time to sleep.
Get Your Stress and Anxiety in Check
We've all been there. It gets late, you can't fall asleep, and all the worries throughout the day come to your mind with a vengeance. Now, you can't sleep and you're worried about your bills or a work-related matter. Eventually, you fall asleep at 2 in the morning, just in time to get a few hours before waking up and doing it all over again.
It doesn't have to be like that. Stress and anxiety aren't magical unknown constants of the universe; they can be managed with the help of professionals or by lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes are often the easiest and cheapest way. This means no more doom scrolling on Reddit or Instagram and getting a handle on any alcohol or other substances you may be using to relax after a long day. Hint: They're not helping.
Exercise More
This can seem counterintuitive; after all, you barely have the energy to get through the day because you're so tired. How can you find the time and strength to go for a run or lift weights? But there's a reason you tire your kid out before nap time to make sure they fall asleep and stay asleep. The same principle works for us grown-ups.
Even just thirty minutes of exercise is enough to feel a change. Besides the fact that you should be exercising anyway, you'll notice that you can fall asleep more easily at the end of the day. Just don't do it right before bed, or you may have the opposite effect.
Hopefully some of these tips can help you achieve a good night's sleep, even as a busy parent!