Smart Tips to Help You Get a Better Night's Sleep

It's no secret or surprise that most adults have trouble falling asleep sometimes. Many spouses, couples, and partners often tend to be on opposite schedules, which can be troublesome for one or both people. One in the pair just might be a night owl that likes to sleep in and the other an early riser because that’s just when their individual creative juices are flowing. In many cases, one person might be ready to go to sleep and the other one not, but that doesn’t mean that the person who prefers to stay up late has greater trouble going to sleep.

There are, however, a few things that you can do to ensure both people get a great night's sleep. One of our favorite guides with a handy visual is 15 Science-Backed Sleep Tips. These tips are some of the best we've found, and combined with our own, which we've shared below.

Clean up before bed

First thing’s first; I like to be clean when I get in the bed, so I am generally a night shower-er. Don’t despair if you’re one of those people who needs the morning shower to wake them up! A nice bath will do the trick as well. It doesn’t have to be a soaker, but maybe 20-25 minutes will probably do it. I find that it calms me down and just puts me in the mood for sleeping. Anything that you can do to make your evening routine gentle and relaxed will calm your body and mind, preparing them both to rest.

Exercise in the late afternoon or evening

Another thing that I've noticed which really helps with sleeping at night, is physical activity; maybe not right before bedtime, but earlier in the day. We usually walk or do Pilates mixed with yoga but yet again, 20-25 minutes or more does the trick. Even if you prefer to exercise in the mornings, a simple and quiet routine of gentle bedtime yoga or meditation will get you into the right mindset to relax your body. This is also known to help relieve anxiety/stress, which is just another fantastic reason why exercise in any form before bed can be helpful.

Diffusing essential oils

Essential oils are known to have many benefits. Simply adding a few drops of pure essential oils to a diffuser at bedtime can do wonders for relaxation, as well as promoting good respiratory health and wellness. I love peppermint oil and having it diffused into the room at night does the trick to get me breathing better and relaxing. Oftentimes, I'll put a combination of peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender in there; it calms the nerves, clears my head, and gets me ready for sleep. Always make sure you are using therapeutic grade essential oils, and that you are also using them properly and safely.

Reading

Another activity I do before bedtime that helps me fall asleep is reading! Reading from an actual book, rather from a dimly lit screen is the perfect night time activity! There’s obviously more and more information everyday about blue light from screens. I’m no medical expert, but I do think there’s a correlation between looking at a screen and not being able to fall asleep. I find that laying down and reading a chapter or two helps me get to that point where my eyelids feel droopy and my head starts bobbing.

Having the right mattress

Making your bed a comfortable space makes such a big difference in being able to rest well at night.

We made the leap to really take time researching mattresses, as well as pillows, and make an informed decision and purchase when we purchased our last mattress. It will hopefully last for years to come! Each night we enjoy curling up and sleeping in a comfy position on a truly supportive mattress. SleepPare offers well-researched and unbiased reviews based on consumer experiences for the latest mattresses on the market, and makes shopping for your next mattress easier than ever.

These are just a few things that we do on a regular basis this help us fall asleep at night. Everyone is different so everybody has their own ways of getting their bodies and their minds ready for those needed Zzzs.