Some people see sleep as optional, thinking that cutting back on rest means more time to get things done or enjoy the day. However the reality is the opposite. When you’re sleep-deprived, your focus suffers, your productivity slows down, and even the most enjoyable moments feel dull. But that’s not all.
I think our community knows that good sleep isn’t a luxury, but an essential part of your day for performing well at work or school, staying focused, and simply feeling good. March is Sleep Awareness Month. Why not take a step back and reset your sleep habits? What are your go-to sleep tips? Share them in the comments!
No coffee 6 hours before planning to go to bed (might vary depending on whether comes with food or not)
No food 3 hours before bed (most of the times I end eating much earlier)
No screens 3 hours before bed (doesn’t happen recently, but I use bluelight filters all day long as hard as possible)
Curb bright light 1-2 hours before going to sleep, keep some tiny warm white light, and avoid cold white LEDs; traditional light/candle/oil lamp might do the trick to cut blue light alongside the one from the screens and tell your body it’s time to hit the pillow
Going to bed at least hour or two before midnight seems better than sleeping the same amount of time while going to bed past midnight
Warm shower might help falling asleep
6-7.5 hours of sleep should be fine for adults; if you’re drowsy and can’t focus in daytime, make sure you don’t eat too much for breakfast (hard to focus IMO) and too much carbs for lunch/in general (afternoon drowsiness); with that happening, you can try to oversleep and not see much improvement; sleep habits alone are not enough to perform well during the day
(the numbers are made up, original rule is 10-3-2-1 and everyone’s different…)
I think over the last year I have really focussed on sleep hygiene. I do take a lot of caffeine during the day but I stop around 3pm, I then stop eating around 4pm and fast for 13 hours. This seems to give me a great quality sleep and all the energy I require. I am usually up at 4am and getting ready to do some yoga. I don’t seem to suffer with tiredness like I used to and intermittent fasting helps with this. Oh and I mainly eat plant-based foods 95% of the time.
What are your go-to sleep tips? Share them in the comments!