4 Tips for Better Sleep

Sleep can be hard to come by, especially if you experience chronic stress and anxiety. Your head hits the pillow and you WISH you could fall asleep the minute you get in bed. Instead, your mind races, you feel tense, and you can’t get your mind to stop thinking no matter what you do. So what to do you do? You mindlessly scroll on your phone. And before you know it, it’s been 2 hours.

Anxiety and stress can make it harder to fall asleep and make the sleep you do get not that great. I get this on such a personal level. I have never been the best sleeper and ironically, my doctoral dissertation was focused on the relationship between sleep, alcohol use, and academic performance in college students. Unsurprisingly, college students aren’t getting great sleep, which matches the national trends. But sleep is SO important to our well-being. Good quality sleep helps us regulate our emotions, improve our mood, and focus better.  If you struggle with sleep, read on to learn four strategies you can try to start getting better sleep.

Set a Bedtime Routine

Most people struggle to have a bedtime routine. Between studying, work demands, and getting the kids to sleep, you’re just ready for your head to hit the pillow. But having some routine before bed can help get your body ready for sleep. You can engage in a relaxing routine before bed in several ways: taking a hot shower/bath, doing some light stretching or yoga, reading a book, washing your face, etc. By engaging in a relaxation routine before sleep, you are allowing your body and nervous system to wind down and transition from the day's stress. Part of your bedtime routine should also include setting a bedtime. Now this is probably the hardest thing for most people so I encourage folks to have a range. It could look like starting to wind down for bed by 9 and getting into bed at 10 pm. Whatever time you set, allow at least 30 minutes for winding down and try to stay as consistent as possible with your routine.

Limit Screens and Caffeine

If you’ve been experiencing poor sleep and stress, you likely consume lots of caffeine during the day to stay awake and mindlessly scroll on your phone before bed to distract. However, caffeine and screen use are associated with pretty crappy sleep. Switching to decaf in the afternoon or limiting caffeine after 2 pm can help you not feel as wound up when you try to sleep. Additionally, screen use has been shown to disrupt the body’s ability to naturally produce melatonin which aides in sleep. So limiting screen time and dimming lights can help the body facilitate sleep.

Set the Mood.. for Sleep

Creating an environment conducive to sleep is so essential! After all, who wants to sleep in a hot room, full of light, and loud noises?? Now this may look different for each person but some common ways to make your room a relaxing environment and help with sleep include using blackout curtains, a white noise machine, keeping the temperature cool, or using a fan. I have an air purifier in my room and can’t tell you how quiet it is when I travel and don’t have any noise in my room. I’m alone with my thoughts! You can also use calming scents, lotions, or essential oils. Eucalyptus and lavender are calming scents. But no candles! Additionally, another sleep tip is to only use your bed for sleep and sex. So no studying in bed, doing work, etc. This way you don’t unintentionally create an association of stress with your bed.

What If I Can’t Fall Asleep?

There’s going to be nights when you really struggle to fall asleep. While the recommended time it should take to fall asleep should be 10-20 minutes, that isn’t the case for a lot of people. If you have tried the above tips and are still having trouble falling asleep, there are several things you can do. In bed, you can try a guided body scan. You can read more about a guided body scan here or check out some on the app Insight Timer or UCLA Mindfulness. The Insight Timer app is free (with some paid content) and has lots of resources for sleep including calming music and sleep stories. If it has been longer than 20 minutes and you still can’t fall asleep, get out of bed. Go to the living room and read a book until you feel tired again. Then you can go back to your bed and try again. If you have tried engaging in sleep hygiene tips and are still experiencing poor sleep, it might be helpful to talk to your primary care doctor.

Last Thoughts

Sleep is so important to our overall well-being yet it is something that many of us struggle with. By making sleep a priority, it can have a huge impact on your mood, and ability to cope with stress and boost your immune system. While these tips can be helpful, take what works for you and leave what doesn’t. While sleep may not get better the first night you try implementing these tips, stay consistent and hopefully, you will notice a change!

Find your mind racing at night and can’t get it to stop? Online therapy can help you explore what might be contributing to poor sleep and ways you can start getting better sleep ASAP!

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I am here to help you leave behind the self-doubt and constant overwhelm that keeps you stuck. I want you to have a rich and fulfilling life without sacrificing what matters most to you. I offer effective online therapy anywhere in Texas for clients experiencing self-doubt, anxiety, and burnout. If you’re ready to make changes and do the hard work- reach out today to get started!