7 Simple Ways to Improve Your Sleep and Feel Better Daily

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• POOR BRAIN FUNCTION – You aren’t able to retain or relay information effectively. Your attention and concentration will suffer. Have you ever read the same sentence in a book like 15 times and you still didn’t comprehend it? Most times that happens because your brain is tired. Sleep also plays a critical role in problem solving and processing memories.
• INCREASED RISK OF DISEASE – There is the potential to develop high blood pressure, have a stroke, heart disease, and other life changing illnesses as a result of not getting enough sleep.
• MAKES YOUR SKIN LOOK OLD – After a few nights of staying up late, you may not be able to tell, but the prolonged effects aren’t cute. You skin may lose its shine and elasticity. You can develop lines, wrinkles, or dark circles around your eyes. With the right amount of sleep will ensure that natural tissue repair occurs and the wrinkles stay away.
• GET RID OF A FEW POUNDS – Who knew you could lose weight in your sleep? When you don’t get enough rest, your experiences in increase in appetite. There is also an increase in cortisol and that contributes to belly fat. I’ll admit that I have a little extra jiggle in the middle, so I need to make sleep a priority. Actually, with the right combination of exercise, nutritious foods, and sleep, you can win the battle of the bulge.

• LIMIT YOUR FLUID INTAKE BEFORE BED –  Who wants to be up all night peeing anyway? I’ve had it happen to me a few times. I try to drink a gallon of water a day. I start early in the morning so I can be done by 5 o’clock at the latest. On the days that I start late or I get too busy to drink, I finish around 7 or 8 and I pay for it by having to get out of bed every hour 🙄. No Bueno.
• AVOID EATING HEAVY MEALS BEFORE BED – Conquering a big meal seems like a good reason to reward yourself with sleep, but it’s not. Treat yourself with a nice walk or a bike ride. If not, your body will work during the night to make use of the food you just ate. You may sleep comfortably at first, but it won’t last. Try making breakfast your largest meal and have your other meals get smaller towards the end of the day.  
• GET SOME SUN – If you get sunlight on your face soon after you wake up, you will feel energized and refreshed. If you can, also try to take your breaks from work outside. It helps you refresh your senses so you can end the day well. It’s also good to get exercise and take your eyes off the computer screen for a while.
• BLOCK THE BLUE LIGHT – Put your phone away at least an hour before bed. There is a blue light in phone screens that keep you awake. That may be why you feel like its such a struggle to get off social media at night. I am not sure what kind of phone you have, but my phone – #TeamAndroid – has a comfort view setting that blocks the light for me. I also have a coating on my eyeglasses that blocks blue light too.
• PUT THE TV TO SLEEP TOO – I like falling asleep with the TV on. Sometimes a loud crash or music wakes me up. It makes it hard for me to relax and get back to sleep. I find that setting the timer helps. This is a great example of compromise. While sleeping with the television on isn’t the best, the television doesn’t have to stay on all night. It’s okay to start small and work your way up.
• REPLACE YOUR MATTRESS – I know this is a huge expense so this may take time. A comfortable mattress will work wonders though. To me, it’s like sleeping on a cloud. When HusBae got his kidney transplant (read about that here) we got a new bedroom set. The one we replaced was nearly 20 years old. Don’t Judge Me. 😑 The bed actually slept really well until the last year or so. There were times when we’d get in bed and wake up the next morning having no recollection of falling asleep. That mattress was a piece of heaven.
• RESERVATIONS – Admittedly, I won’t use this tip right now, maybe later on in life. Use your bed only for sleeping and other adult activities 🥰. The science behind this tip is that your mind will associate sleep with your bed and you will get to sleep faster and rest better. Now, I enjoy working from my bed. I bought a lap desk specifically for this reason. I don’t always want to go downstairs to my office to work. If you decide to try this, let me know how you like it.

Go ahead and schedule a Discovery Call so you can ask me anything you want. You deserve to work with a coach that’s committed to you and your wellness.