How to Get Better Sleep

Struggling to get sleep or feeling tired all the time? These tips on how to get better sleep can help. Give them a try and see if they help you. Hempure partnered with me on this post by sending me some CBD capsules to try.

Sleep has been a problem for me most of my life. Since my teenage years, I’ve dealt with insomnia and been a night owl. This wasn’t a big deal when I was a kid because I was homeschooled and just started my day later.

As an adult starting my day late doesn’t work as well. I want to stay on a similar schedule with my husband and he has set work hours. Since I stay at home I can sleep in a bit but I still need to get up at a reasonable time.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve made sleep more of a priority and I’ve been finding more ways to get more and better sleep. It’s not perfect but it’s helping.

I do want to give a bit of a disclaimer. If this is a new problem or comes with other symptoms talk to your doctor. Fatigue can be a symptom of a larger health problem. I have Fibromyalgia which contributes to my fatigue and it’s something my doctor keeps an eye on.

How to Get Better Sleep

1. Create a Routine

Having an evening routine and bedtime is not just good for kids, it helps adults as well. It helps our bodies know when we need to go to sleep.

Having a routine can help you start to get tired and relax before bed. Try not to have too many activities in your nighttime routine that use a lot of energy and could end up making you feel more awake. 

There are a lot of things on this list that are perfect for adding to your bedtime routine to help you wind down from the day. 

An evening routine earlier in the day is also a good idea so you go to bed knowing you were productive and aren’t waking up to a huge to-do list. I recommend checking out Make Over Your Evenings for great tips on creating a productive evening routine.

2. Try CBD

Something I have recently started is taking CBD before bed. CBD is a safe and natural extract that usually comes from hemp. The hemp form is legal in all 50 states. 

CBD can be confusing and scary but most of what you find now is hemp CBD. Hemp doesn’t contain THC, the part of marijuana that gets you high, and is very safe, it’s even in a lot of food and used as a protein source.

While CBD hasn’t been approved to treat or cure any sleep issues it has shown some promise in helping people sleep. You do want to check with your doctor before trying it but in most cases, it’s a safe supplement to try.

I find that I sleep more restfully while taking CBD. It also seems to help with my anxiety which can prevent restful sleep. If it is safe for you to try it is worth giving it a shot. 

I like the CBD capsules from Hempure. It comes from hemp and is full-spectrum CBD. It’s also tested to have zero THC and for purity. 

3. Take a Hot Bath or Shower

I know a lot of people are morning shower people but I prefer nighttime showers. The hot water is very relaxing and it’s nice to get into bed clean. It’s even better for allergies as you aren’t taking allergens from the day with you.

If I have already showered for the day I will sometimes take a hot bath which is even more relaxing. Add a lavender bath bomb for an even more relaxing experience.

4. Ban Electronics an Hour Before Bed

The blue light from electronics is thought to be harmful to our sleep patterns. It’s also easy to get sucked into social media and stay up much later than we wanted to.

It’s best to give yourself an hour without electronics before bed. Many devices also now allow you to use a “night mode” to reduce the blue light. Turning this on a couple of hours before bed can also help.

5. Keep Your Home Cool

Studies have shown keeping your home between 65-68 degrees can help you sleep. You can also use a fan to keep your bedroom cooler at night. 

If you share your bed also consider using different comforters to allow both people to sleep at the temperature they prefer. This method is common in some Scandinavian countries.

6. Be Mindful of Caffeine

Caffeine affects different people differently but it also may be affecting you more than you think. Try cutting back or at least only drinking it early in the day to see if you notice a difference.

Some people need to cut out caffeine altogether to get the best results. If you have been consuming a lot be sure not to go cold turkey as it can cause withdrawal symptoms. Cut back slowly and see when you start to notice a big difference.

7. Work on Your Anxiety

Most of us will deal with some anxiety from time to time. Finding ways to deal with it can help with sleep. How much help you need will depend on your level of anxiety.

For some people, a brain dump at night or simply writing out your to-do list for the next day can be helpful to avoid overthinking in bed.

For other people meditation, yoga, or exercise can be helpful. If you feel like your anxiety is impact your everyday life and simple changes don’t help, talk to your doctor. Therapy and/or medication can be helpful. Mental health is just as important as our physical health and both work together.

8. Keep Your Room Dark

Keeping your room dark at night can help you sleep and stay asleep. This is especially important if you live somewhere with a lot of light pollution and during the times of the year when the sun rises early and may be up before you need to wake up.

Try blackout curtains or a sleep mask to help block out light. Don’t forget forms of light in your room like electronics. Use a smart power strip to turn these off at night.

9. Get a New Mattress

Mattresses are big investments and we can often avoid replacing them but if they are making your sleep worse it’s time to replace it. For the long term, it will be worth the investment. 

I recommend looking for a natural mattress to avoid off-gassing that can also impact your quality of sleep. One brand using good eco-friendly materials in their mattresses is Loom & Leaf.

10. Try Essential Oils

Many people find essential oils and aromatherapy helpful for sleep. Lavender is a common essential oil used to help people relax and sleep better.

You can diffuse lavender oil or try a lavender linen spray on your bedding before you go to sleep. Lavender lotions are also useful and relaxing.

You will likely need to try several things to find what works best for you. And don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor to make sure nothing medical is causing your fatigue or sleep issues.