Pexels Source CCO License

Diet Concerns

First, it’s important to understand that your issues with sleep could certainly be tied to your diet. There are foods in your diet like garlic that can lead to disturbed levels of sleep and lower levels of energy through the day. If you are facing this problem, then you might want to consider using a garlic substitute in your food instead. Similarly, some foods are beneficial to your sleep health like bananas. These are rich in potassium and so can help you stop tossing and turning all through the night every day. Remember, it doesn’t matter what time you go to bed if it’s not the right quality of rest. For me, no caffeine after 2pm is a hard and fast rule if I want to be sleeping nicely by 10 or 11pm. Also, fasting really helps me to ensure deep sleep as well as eliminating alcohol and sugar. Even cutting down on any of those can have a big effect so don't feel you need to completely cut them out if that's not for you.

Stress

You might also want to think about issues with stress in your life. Stress can be a huge issue, particularly when it comes to sleep. High levels of stress are always going to be something that’s enough to keep you up at night. The question is how should you deal with stress the right way. There are a few ways that you can deal with stress. For instance, you might want to think about using calming exercises such as meditation. Meditation has a slight learning curve but once you adjust the practices you’ll quickly recognize the benefits in as little as just 15-20 minutes. You can also keep a pad of paper and a pen next to your bed to journal any unwanted thoughts before bed so that you can rest assured they have been expressed in a safe way. Getting them out of your head and onto paper has a profoundly relaxing effect. In all the work I do for people as a stress management coach, this is one of the most effective strategies.

A Low Energy Day

Next, you should consider issues with your daily routine. During the lockdowns, a lot of people were doing far less than their typical routine. Instead of going out, they were staying in and probably weren’t using nearly as much energy. This meant that when it was time for bed they weren’t getting the right level of sleep because their body wasn’t ready to rest. If you are struggling with this issue, then you should think about setting a daily routine that you can always follow and that does make sense for you. That way you will be tired when it’s time for sleep. Using a watch to measure your active minutes is super helpful. Alternatively, record when you exercise on your phone notes or a pad of paper so you have data on it. That way you can track it and compare sleep quality with exercise time and types.

The Wrong Environment 

Finally, it’s possible that the reason that you are struggling to get to sleep at the right time each night is all to do with your sleep environment. You might want to think about taking steps to change this to ensure that it is more comfortable and suitable for you. There are lots of possibilities that could be worth exploring here. For instance, you might want to think about changing your bed. A bed is a highly personal choice and if your bed is too soft or too hard then it could be enough to throw off your sleep pattern completely. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you should take to ensure that you are getting a great night of sleep. Don’t forget, your sleep is crucial for good health because it provides your body with the recharge that it desperately needs after a long day. 

For me, an eye mask, earplugs, a dark room with no electronics even plugged in and the window open are absolutely essential! As well as ensuring the bedsheets have been changed in the last week. I always sleep deeper when the bed sheets are fresh, don't you?

Sleep tight!

Lots of love,

Jenna