What are ways to improve my sleep quality?

1. Get in tune with your natural sleep-wake cycle
2. Be mindful of you eat and drink
3. Take natural sleep aids
4. Build a regular exercise habit
5. Set a pre-bedroom routine
6. Know how to get back to sleep

Whether or not you sleep well impacts nearly every aspect of your life — falling short can take a serious toll on your productivity, energy, and emotional state. Yet, many of us have trouble getting the rest we need, especially when we get older.

Getting enough sleep can feel like an unreachable goal when you struggle every night, but you have more control over this than you realize. The root of our problems are often unhealthy daytime habits — and replacing them with good ones can solve it. Want to know how? Here are six ways to improve sleep quality.

Get in tune with your natural sleep-wake cycle

Your body follows a natural cycle, called a circadian rhythm. It acts as an internal clock that signals your body when you should be awake and active, and when you should start winding down. Being in tune with when this is will give you an idea of how to structure your sleep schedule. 

Check what time you usually feel tired at night, and start going to bed at around that time. Sleeping at the same time every day adjusts your internal clock and helps improve the quality of your sleep. 

Be smart about how long and how often you’re sleeping, too. If you get sleepy in the afternoons, avoid taking naps — this can throw your circadian rhythm off, and you’ll have a harder time going to bed at night. Avoid sleeping in too, even on weekends. The more you deviate from your natural cycles, the more you will struggle to maintain a good sleep schedule.

Be mindful of you eat and drink

What you eat and drink also impacts how well you sleep. Sugary, carb-heavy foods like candy or pasta can trigger wakefulness at night. Similarly, caffeine can make you feel awake up to twelve hours after drinking it.

Instead of having these foods in excess, focus on a sleep-promoting diet. Specific foods, like vegetables, nuts, and healthy fats are scientifically proven to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer.

One nutrient you should aim to increase in your diet is magnesium. This mineral is responsible for over 600 enzymatic reactions in your body — including the production of relaxing and sleep-inducing hormones. Take magnesium supplements, like our MagneCalD, to have an easier time going to sleep. 

Take natural sleep aids

If you need a little extra help to sleep properly, there are a few natural sleeping aids you can take, like melatonin. This is a key sleep-promoting hormone that is used to signal your brain when it’s time to rest. 

Taking melatonin supplements, such as Essential Supplement’s Pure Rest, is one of the easiest ways to get a good night’s rest. Taking just 2 mg of melatonin can greatly improve sleep quality — in one study, 50% of the respondents fell asleep faster and had a 15% improvement in sleep quality.

Build a regular exercise habit

People who exercise regularly tend to sleep better at night. It can reduce the symptoms of insomnia, and increase the amount of time you spend in deep, restorative sleep. Science shows that the more you exercise, the more powerful the benefits — but even light activity can improve your sleep.

To promote and solidify a regular exercise habit, make sure you take things as slow and as light as you need. And, make sure you’re keeping your body nourished with Nutrimeal from Essential Supplements. Healthy and consistent exercise is key here, so be patient and mindful of your new exercise regime.

Set a pre-bedroom routine

Your routine leading up to going to bed is also another factor to consider. Doing stressful, stimulating activities — such as work, discussing emotional issues, and the like — can cause your body to create more cortisol, which increases alertness and prevents you from easily falling asleep. 

Changing your pre-bedroom habits can ease your body into a state of relaxation, which helps you go to sleep when bedtime rolls around.

Try incorporating these three habits:

• Have a self-care routine before bed — Practicing self-care, like applying skincare products like our Perfecting Toner before hopping in bed, can be very soothing. This will help your mind calm down and help you get better sleep.
• Wind down for at least 30 minutes — If you’re at ease and let your mind filter out any stress-inducing thoughts, it’s easier to doze off. Gentle stretching or quietly listening to music half an hour before bed can get you into the right frame of mind for sleep.
• Lower the lights — In response to darkness, our body produces melatonin, which makes us feel sleepy. Too much light right before bed can inhibit that, which affects your sleep. So, lower or turn off your lights a few minutes before sleeping. 

Know how to get back to sleep

Despite all our best efforts, you might still wake up briefly in the middle of the night. If you have trouble falling back asleep, here are some tips:

• Keep your mind blank — Try not to stress and overthink about why you woke up — especially if you’re feeling anxious about something — or how to fall back asleep again. This will only encourage your body to stay awake. If you have to, write down whatever is bothering you on a piece of paper, and tell yourself you’ll handle it the next day.
• Make relaxation your goal — Relaxation techniques, such as meditation and breathing exercises, can help you get back to sleep quickly. If they don’t, they’re still helpful enough to rejuvenate your body.
• Do a quiet activity — If you’ve been trying to get back to sleep for more than 15 minutes, it’s time to take a break. Try a non-stimulating activity to reset your brain and slowly lull you back to sleep — just make sure not to eat or expose yourself to bright light, which cues your body that it’s time to wake up.

Key Takeaway

Tired of tossing and turning at night? Achieving high-quality, restorative sleep can be difficult. The truth is that getting ready to sleep properly is an all-day affair — but there are many simple ways to improve sleep quality.

Luckily, Essential Supplements has many products to help you pave the way for better sleep at night. With our Pure Rest tablets, and our MagneCalD supplements, and many other products, you’ll be in better shape to sleep better and be more energetic and productive during the day.