How to Get a Better Night's Sleep?

The Basics for Getting a Better Night's Sleep

Plan your sleep - A critical part of developing your sleep is improving consistency, which some sleep experts have amazingly linked with helping maintain healthier body weight. Setting a wake-up time and bedtime that fits your schedule is very important. I highly recommend offering yourself 8 hours of sleep as part of your schedule.

However, some people may feel that they don't need that amount, so ultimately, it's all up to you. It would help if you decided on your wake-up time to match your daily schedule.

Then work back to your bedtime by using the hours of sleep you feel you need, including an extra 30 minutes for the amount of time it generally will take to get to sleep. For example, if you need to wake up at 6:30 am and want 8 hours of sleep, you should be going to bed at 10 pm.

Have a relaxing routine leading up to your sleep period - In the hour which leads up to when you go to bed, you should have a similar routine every night so you can prepare your mind and body for the upcoming sleep period.

Your sleep routine should focus on positive things that make you feel calm. Nothing which may cause you any stress should take place during this hour. Otherwise, the amount of sleep you get will be drastically decreased.

Some of the main things that have the most significant negative impact are violent or exciting, which may cause a spike in your mood. For example, a horror film or a video game. Other negative factors include worrying about what's happening during the working day.

A highly recommended routine involves the necessary emotional levels and feelings to help you remain calm. Such as reading and brushing your teeth, but ultimately any low-intensity activities will help boost the quality of your sleep.

Knowing the levels of sleep you need - There's a lot of variation in how much sleep each person needs; however, the standard amount of sleep is 8 hours. Finding the ideal amount of sleep for you is just a matter of finding it. If you don't know how much sleep you need, start with 7 hours and if you feel like you need more, then increase your amount of sleep accordingly.

*Pictured: Woman sleeping soundly in bed. - How to get a better night's sleep.*

Remove any Possible Distractions - Getting a Better Night's Sleep

Keeping your room dark - Your body is generally developed to be more sleepy and more active in the light. Therefore, the light in your room significantly impacts the amount of sleep you get; accordingly, sleep experts suggest that you keep the bedroom as dark as possible, including turning off all electronics, clocks and lamps.

For people living in cities, dark curtains help minimize outside light coming through the windows. Depending on your sleep schedule, eye masks may be vital if you sleep during daylight hours.

Don't use your smartphone the hour before bed - Beyond just the blue light a smartphone offers, distractions are endless between games, social media, texting and emails.

The impact is so significant that according to a recent survey, 20% of young adults reported waking up due to some distraction coming through their smartphones. Combine this with the blue glare the screen gives off, which robs us of the precious sleep we need.

Reducing or blocking out noise - Noise is strange as some people can sleep through any noise; therefore, reducing noise isn't a vital issue for them. Ambient sounds include apps that play nature sounds, sound conditioners or fans.

Other options involve blocking out the noise altogether using earplugs. Some people opt for this option because they find any noise distracting.

5 tips for getting to sleep when there's too much noise

The sound of traffic outside, music playing across the hallway, the sounds of television or phones, noisy neighbours, snoring, or even cats fighting out are all sorts of sounds that can cause difficulty sleeping. Not that perfect silence is needed, some sounds can enhance sleep, and it is crucial to be able to hear certain noises, such as a smoke alarm.

Noises at night don't just prevent you from falling asleep. And they can influence sleep quality. The brain still registers and processes sounds when asleep, which can create restlessness even if the sounds are not enough to wake you. Familiar sounds cause less disruption than unusual sounds. Those who live in cities can fall asleep to the sounds of traffic, while these same sounds may keep rural dwellers awake.

There are several things that you can do to help protect against noise or to regulate it.

Keeping windows closed will limit the amount of noise that can get in from outside.

Having carpets and floor coverings, along with curtains on the windows, can help block out the noises from outside and other areas of the house.

Many people use white noise to help block out sudden or unexpected noises. This can provide a constant, soothing sound that allows you to fall and remain asleep. While there are machines designed for this, radio static, an air conditioning unit or a fan can all provide this type of white noise.

Another option is the use of familiar sounds. Some people use relaxing natural sounds, such as beach sounds, wind chimes, or the wind.

Finally, possibly the most apparent solution, earplugs can be a simple and affordable way to limit the amount of noise when sleeping. You need to select some that are soft, flexible, and rated at no more than 32 decibels. This will ensure you can still hear important sounds, such as smoke alarms or a child crying, while blocking unwanted noise.