With Netflix telling the press that their main competitor is sleep, many people are realizing that they are not sleeping as well as they could. And maybe you too are waking up without energy or feeling not good in general. If you want to learn how to sleep deeper, then this article is for you. In it I explain you 5 strategies that I personally use to sleep deeper.
I used to sleep badly, but after getting a good mattress and following these 5 strategies myself – everything became a lot better. So, if you too suffer from bad sleep, try out these tips and see if they help you!
Do you want to sleep deeper?
There are countless of benefits that you get from sleeping well. Here is a list of all the good things of life that you’re missing out on if you don’t sleep as well as you could:
- Improve your brain’s function – people who get on average 8 hours of sleep per night function better and have better memory skills than those who sleep less.
- Live longer – not getting enough sleep at night has been linked to an overall higher mortality rate.
- Look better – if you give your body ample sleep, you allow your body to recover better. Your skin will look better and your body will be stronger.
- Feel better – the more you sleep, the more energy you will have throughout the day. This is great for getting things done and just feeling good in general.
- Be slimmer – did you know that sleeping badly has been linked to obesity? The less you sleep, the more cravings you will have for sugar and bad food the next day.
So, it’s very important that you sleep enough. But how exactly do you do that? Here are 5 tips that will help you achieve all these amazing benefits into your life.
5 Tips for deeper sleep
#1 Don’t check your screen before bed
Did you know that the screens from your phone, computer and tablet emit blue light? And that this blue light mimics the function of sunlight in your brain? This causes your brain to think that it’s still light out there and it won’t release the hormones that make you feel sleepy.
So looking at your screen before going to bed will make it more difficult for you to fall asleep. And that’s not everything. It will also make your sleep less deep. So you’ll sleep less and with a lousy quality. Now you know why you always wake up with those huge dark circles if you’ve been on your phone for a long time while still lying bed.
Luckily you can use a program called Flux (or Twilight for android) to change the colours of your screen. it is very effective – although your screen will look a little funny at first.
#2 Eat lightly before going to sleep
Another thing that can keep you from sleeping well is eating too much before going to bed. You see, when you eat a heavy meal before bedtime, your body will spend a lot of energy that night digesting your food. Plus lying down isn’t the best position for digesting. Tracking what you’re eating is also important for improving sleep.
Instead of spending energy to maintain and repair all the tissues in your body, you are wasting it all on digesting that steak and potatoes you ate for dinner at 11 PM. Try to eat earlier – and if you eat later, don’t eat too fatty or keep it to a small meal. So that you won’t go to bed hungry.
#3 Be active during the day
How do you feel if you’ve been active the entire day? Maybe after playing your favorite sport, or going for a hike while on vacation? You bet you’re going to feel tired. The more active you are during the day, the more sleepy you are going to feel at night.
This is your body’s natural reaction. After all, during sleep your muscles will be repaired so that you’re ready for a new active day. So if you’re not yet working out, or participating in a sport – I highly recommend you try out one. Your body will thank you at night. And if you don’t like to play sports, rest assured. Just taking a nice walk during the day also counts.
#4 Get enough sunlight
Another ‘hack’ is to make sure you get enough sunlight during the day. Your body has a very specific day and night rhythm (circadian). And one of the prerequisites for that is that you get enough sunlight during the day for it to work well.
Your body will understand when it’s day because of sunlight – and be active and alert. And when it’s night and dark your body will go into sleeping mode.
If you don’t go out during the day, your body never really wakes up – and then you’re left with too much energy at night. And you will have trouble falling asleep. Try to aim for at least 15 minutes of direct sunlight each day. And if that doesn’t work – you can always use an artificial sun lamp that mimics the sun.
#5 Take supplements
There are many supplements available for all sorts of things. But did you know that there are also supplements that can help you fall asleep and sleep deeper at night?
Here are a couple that I personally use. I do not take them every night (although many of them can be taken daily). But whenever I have trouble sleeping – or need to fall asleep (need to wake up early in the morning / jet lag / or sleepover at an airport) I always take them.
- Theanine– a great supplements that calms down all the thoughts in your head. If you find yourself anxious at night, then taking 200 mg of theanine (1-2 capsules) will calm you down. It increases the alpha waves in your sleep that are responsible for deep restorative sleep.
- Melatonin – melatonin is the hormone that’s responsible for making you sleepy. Normally your brain produces it itself, but you can also take a supplement. Taking 1-3 mg of melatonin 30 minutes before bed is enough to make you sleep like a baby.
I hope you’ll sleep a lot better with these strategies! If you have any questions or want to share your own strategies for deeper sleep, please let me know in the comments!
P.S. your choice of mattress also can make you sleep deeper. Here’s one of my top mattresses if you want to sleep comfortable. It comes with a 100 night risk-free sleep trial – so you can try it out in the comfort of your own home!
