Some of us are heavy sleepers. It doesn’t matter whether there are people talking, dogs barking, or even alarms blaring — once the light is off, you’re in dreamland. And, not coming out of it anytime soon.
On the other hand, you have the light sleepers. Sometimes, you have difficulty falling asleep and, sometimes, you have trouble sleeping through the night. Every subtle noise, every sliver of light, and every change in temperature is enough to awaken you.
Fret not if you’re the latter. We have some great tips here to, well, not exactly turn you into a heavy sleeper. That may be something only a doctor or a therapist can do. But, the tips will help you to, at least, minimise the tossing and turning every night.
Let’s begin!
A schedule is everything
For starters, you need a schedule and you need to adhere to the schedule. Try to get into bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. This means that even on your days off from work, holidays, and weekends.
Sure, it may be extremely tempting to finish that last episode or to get to that elusive level in a game. But, trust us, it’s not worth it.
A regular sleep schedule will be much easier on your body. Plus, it helps your body to find its natural rhythm and set a regular sleep/wake cycle.
Create a blackout sanctuary out of your bedroom
This tip may come across as pretty obvious but you need to create an environment that is conducive to sleep. To start, invest in blackout curtains to keep the room nice and dark.
If the blackout curtains don’t work for whatever reason, you might want to consider switching to an eye mask. However, be sure to get a contoured one so that it fits perfectly on your face. This way, no light will get through.
Keep your bedroom cool
If you have trouble sleeping, you should also be sure to keep your bedroom cool. And, yes, you can put a number on it. The ideal temperature for your bedroom should be around 18.3°C.
Of course, it’s impossible to get this precision outside of a laboratory. That’s why most doctors recommend setting a temperature somewhere between 15.6°C and 19.4°C. According to them, this is the optimum temperature for the most comfortable sleep.
Put the devices away
If possible, keep all devices — including TVs, computers, tablets, and mobile phones — out of the bedroom. Otherwise, have a cut-off time where you put the devices away. Ideally, you should stop using the devices at least 30 minutes before sleep.
This is to avoid mindless scrolling before bedtime. Not only is that a bad habit but also the light the devices emit inhibits the secretion of the sleep-inducing hormone, Melatonin.
If you’re wondering what to do for bedtime entertainment, we’d recommend reading and meditation instead.
Exercise but do it early
Invest in a new mattress
If you have an older mattress, smaller mattress, or one that’s just not up to par, it’s time to invest in a new one.
You may be having trouble sleeping but you’re still spending an awful lot of time on the mattress. Plus, have you considered that your sleep problems might have stemmed from your mattress?
For instance, older mattresses tend to vibrate whenever there’s movement. So, if your partner shifts in his or her sleep, you likely will feel the vibration. If you’re a heavy sleeper, that’s not an issue. But, if you aren’t, you’re likely going to be jolted awake because of that.
Of course, we’re well aware that buying a new mattress isn’t something you can do willy-nilly. So, if you’re looking to get some research and comparison done before settling on a mattress, this tool will come in especially handy.
White noise to drown it all out
Sure, it sounds counter-productive to add more noises when you already have difficulty sleeping. However, most light sleepers and those who have difficulty falling asleep swear by white noise.
Now, you can get a white noise machine to help you get your beauty sleep. Alternatively, you can also wing it with household items such as a fan. Ultimately, it’s all about the ambient noises that drown out the other noises that keep you awake.
Finally… sound asleep
There you go! These are some of the best tips for light sleepers. They should help you to catch some much-needed z’s.