Back to Blog Homepage
Many have seen their sleep health decrease over the past couple of years due in part to the disruptive nature of the current pandemic. More time working from home, a lack of routine, decreased exercise and increased stress have contributed to less than stellar sleep habits.
But even though New Year’s Resolution season has come and gone, it’s never too late to establish new habits. The best approach is often a simple and straightforward one, so here are 5 tips one can incorporate to improve sleep health and general well-being.
1. Re-establish (or establish) a routine in your day – Even if working from home, try and set a routine to organize the day’s events where possible. Have a regular time when you have meals, exercise, work and socialize. It may take effort, but having some predictability in your day can help keep you organized, helping you to be more efficient and more present in the moments that matter.
2. Anchor your wake-up time – We each have a Circadian Rhythm that, among other things, helps to govern our times of wake and sleep. Keeping a consistent wake up time helps facilitate a regular bedtime. Upon waking, we all start to build something called our sleep drive. The longer we are awake, the more we have a desire to sleep. Allowing a consistent sleep schedule throughout the week (avoiding staying up late/sleeping in on weekends) will make the weekdays easier!
3. Get Morning Light – In addition to setting a standard wake up time, get some natural morning light within the first hour of waking up. Our circadian rhythms are most sensitive to entrainment or adjusting about 2 hours before our typical bedtime and about 1 hour after our typical wake up time. Light is the most powerful way to influence your daily circadian rhythm. So soon after waking up, go outside for some natural light for at least 30-45 minutes. Though better than nothing, light through a paned window is generally not as effective. You can put on sunscreen to protect your skin if desired, but if reasonable for you, leave the hat and sunglasses at home.
4. Move daily – We know regular exercise is good for overall health and has been associated with improved sleep quality. If you’re not that active now, start slow and avoid the “all or nothing approach.” Even a small amount of exercise is a good way to get started. Goals are good, but goals that you consistently don’t meet can be self-defeating, so start where you are and celebrate what you accomplish. Studies have shown that moderate aerobic exercise can help increase the amount of deep sleep. For timing, pairing your exercise with the morning light noted above can be a powerful combination. If you prefer to exercising in the evening, avoid high intensity exercise within 1-2 hours from bedtime.
5. Establish a wind down routine – We all benefit from having a way to transition from our busy days to restful nights to help us sleep soundly. Taking at least 30-60 minutes of a relaxing, centering activity at the end of a long day can help make this happen. Activities may include reading a book you’ve read before, stretching, yoga, drawing, writing, Use technology to help you and set a reminder each night to queue you when to start slowing things down and to prepare for rest.
If you’re trying to re-establish habits, start simple and incorporate as many of these recommendations above as you can. But most importantly, have self-compassion, knowing it’s okay to start again at another time.
Sleep Well, Be Well!
