As the mother of two teenagers, I find their sleep habits maddening. They go to bed, fall right asleep, sleep the whole night, and wake up cheerful. Come ON. That’s just inconsiderate as hell when you live under the same roof as your two insomniac parents.
Most blog posts about how to get a better night’s sleep are selling something, and they all tell you to turn off all devices an hour before bed. Nice idea, but not always the real world, right? Here are a few things that have actually helped me get better quality sleep—in the real world.
- No caffeine after noon. Not tea, not kombucha, not even decaf coffee.
- I stop drinking water (except sips) an hour before bed. Peeing = not sleeping.
- I shower right before bed, marking the end of “productivity” for the day. It also means going to bed with clean skin, much of which is covered in Night Body Oil, signaling to my body and brain (thanks, olfactory nerve and limbic system) that it’s time to sleep.
- After showering, I stretch for 3-5 minutes. If I haven't meditated already, I’ll do that for another five minutes.
- I take two of these magnesium supplements nightly. I’ve tried many, but these must be the right blend for my brain chemistry—I sleep way more soundly!
- I take five drops of this liquid melatonin supplement every night—about ½ milligram of melatonin, so it’s a microdose compared to most 5-10 milligram supplements. Even 3-5 milligrams makes me super crabby the next day, so I was thrilled to find a gentle version that helps me fall back to sleep easily if I wake in the night.
- I charge my phone in another room, so I’m not tempted to look at it if I wake up (or if it does).
- As I snuggle into my pillow, I mentally review all the things I’m grateful for about the day or my life. I barely get through my family, my friends, my furries, and my team at Osmia before I feel myself starting to surrender to the sandman.
I hope some of these tips help you sleep better—good quality sleep is serious medicine. If you have any sleep tricks you love, please share them below? And for a little meditation inspiration, read this.