5 Natural Ways to Improve Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important factors in a healthy lifestyle. It affects the brain and body in many ways. Hormones also play an important role and help the body know when it is time to sleep. Different factors can also create issues with getting a good night's sleep such as diet, stress, and lack of exercise. Sometimes worrying about the following day can keep you up as your mind is still racing. 

I lived with insomnia for years and have learned many ways to help. These are just some different ways to improve your sleep quality.

1. Create a bedroom environment.

Of course, the room you sleep in should be set up for comfort. There are 4 factors to this environment: temperature, furniture arrangement, noise, and lighting. 

Studies have shown that external noises like traffic can diminish a person's sleep quality. Stressful sounds can increase sleep struggles. (01.)

Sometimes white noise like a box fan or air purifier help drown out these disruptions.

Also where your bed is placed can factor in if it's close to a window. Blackout curtains also help with the lighting in the morning.

2. The Light Factor

Sunlight has a great effect on a person's sleep quality. Our bodies run on a natural time clock called the circadian rhythm. 

According to research sunlight is directly linked to our circadian rhythm. If a person gets 2 hours of sunlight their sleep cycle improves by 80%. (02).

This also is crucial that you do not get too much blue light at nighttime. This can increase energy at night and keep the body from feeling tired.

3. Use Natural Supplements

Research has proven that certain supplements help regulate sleep. Some of these can relax an anxious mind. Instead of using antihistamine options such as ZzQuil and Tylenol PM, which can have side effects. In some studies, trying a natural form of a sleep aid has proven more successful.

Melatonin is one of the most popular, as it is a natural sleep hormone that produces in the body already. Taking this in supplement form can help accelerate the process of falling asleep. It also has no known side effects except increased drowsiness if taken too late in the night. If you are planning on using this melatonin, start with a low dose, and take a half an hour before bed. 

Here are some other supplements:

• Valerian root
• Magnesium
• Passion Flower
• L-Theanine

4. Exercise Regularly

This might be an obvious one but is definitely a key factor in a good nights rest. An average of one-third of adults report sleep issues. Exercising at least 30 minutes per day can increase sleep by 18%, reduce time to fall asleep by 55%, and even reduce anxiety by 15%(03).

Although exercising too late at night can cause insomnia. It is best to work out in the evening 4 hours before bed. This helps the adrenaline go down before it is time to doze off.

5. Relax and Winddown

Many of us want to make the most out of all hours of the day. The typical workaholics or busybodies want to optimize every moment. 

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got is to do a "pre-sleep" routine. This could include no electronics a half an hour before bed. Instead, try reading a book or journaling. Sometimes people benefit from bathing at night time. The warm water relaxes the muscles and prepares our body for rest. You could also listen to relaxing music, meditate, or do light stretching. 

One helpful tool which I mentioned in previous posts is the Calm app. They have a range of sleep stories and meditation. Many of the practices meet the preference of time limit and type. This app has tons of relaxing techniques to use, I highly recommend it!

These are just some simple yet effective ways to improve your sleep quality. We sleep a third of our lives and it directly affects our health. Finding natural methods to fight sleep disorders are harmless and can be successful. Everyone is different and some will help more than others. As a sufferer of insomnia since my 20s, these methods have significantly improved my sleep cycles. When you get a good night's rest a person can live a better quality of life.