Sleep is one of the essential pillars of health and wellness. 

It’s required for the body to rest/heal and for the mind to recharge, helping you to feel more alert and well-rested when you wake up. 

When you fail to get enough sleep, you suffer in many ways. 

Your immune system takes a hit, your ability to concentrate diminishes—and your brain fails to recharge itself sufficiently to prepare you for the following day. 

You need seven to nine hours of sleep every night to be adequately rested. 

But what if you deal with sleeping issues that make it a bit more difficult to fall asleep?

In this post, you’re going to learn 4 tips for overcoming the problem. 

1. Put Away The Screens

Cell phone and tablet screens emit blue light, which inhibits melatonin production and disrupts our natural circadian rhythm. 

In other words, looking at a cell phone or tablet screen too close to bedtime can actually trick your brain into thinking that it’s daytime, thus decreasing the production of vital hormones that contribute to making you sleepy and preparing your body and mind for rest. 

For best results, put cell phones and tablets away 1 to 2 hours before you need to lay down. 

2. Avoid Caffeine Intake After Noon

Contrary to what a lot of people believe, caffeine can remain in your bloodstream for up to 10 hours after consuming it. 

A lot of people drink caffeine to help them stay awake and alert. But drinking it after noon can actually seriously hinder your ability to get a peaceful night’s rest. 

For best results, stick to drinking only one or two caffeinated drinks before noon. After noon, switch to something that doesn’t contain a stimulant. 

Lemon water may be a better alternative, as it’s flavorful without putting more caffeine into your system. 

3. Start Unwinding At Least 2 Hours Prior To Laying Down

If you go right from ‘high action’ activities to ‘laying down,’ you’re going to have a tough time falling asleep. 

For this reason, it actually really pays off to spend a bit of time ‘unwinding’ before bed.

Reading a book can be a great way to do this. 

You can also meditate, journal, or do some other type of activity that calms the body and mind. 

What you may not want to do is watch shows on a screen, listen to loud/exciting music, or work out. 

These types of activities can all work against you as you try to calm your mind and body to prepare for sleep. 

4. Go To Bed 45 Minutes Before You Need To Be Asleep

When people calculate their sleep and wake times, they often don’t factor in the time needed to actually fall asleep. 

For this reason, some people miss out on 30 to 60 minutes of sleep time just because they couldn’t fall asleep as soon as their head hit the pillow. 

For best results, schedule yourself a full 45 minutes of ‘fall asleep’ time. 

This way, that ‘falling asleep’ time won’t cut into your actual sleep time. 

It can take time to fall asleep. Not everyone is ‘out like a light’ right away. For those people, scheduling and allowing for this extra time is crucial. 

Conclusion

There you have it! 4 tips for getting better sleep, consistently. 

Just make sure to prioritize it. 

Sleep, as we’ve already stated, is a necessity for optimal health and performance. 

So make sure that you’re proactive in making it as good as possible.