How to improve your sleep (with psychology)

Why is sleep so important?

Do you ever feel like you aren't getting enough sleep? How do you feel the day after not sleeping well?

In this video, our host Kate guides us through some of the reasons why sleep is so important.

How much sleep is enough?

So how much sleep is actually enough?

The tough answer is... it depends!

Some adults may need up to nine hours, whereas others need as few as six to function at an optimal level.

Everyone's different.

Overview of Sleep Tips

Tip #1: How to stick to a consistent sleep schedule.

Tip #2: What to do during the day to help you get better sleep.

Tip #3: How your food and drinking habits affect your sleep.

Tip #4: How to wind down before bed..

Tip #5: How to get your bedroom ready for sleep.

Tip #6: What to do if you have trouble falling asleep.

Tip #7: What to do if you wake up in the middle of the night.

Tip #8: How to start your day off on the right foot.

Establish a sleep schedule

If you do nothing else... DO THIS.

One of the most important things you can do to improve your sleep is to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends.

Staying within a half-hour to forty-five minutes of your bedtime range, as well as waking up within that range, really helps ensure that your bio-regulatory mechanism is staying in place.

Daytime tips

Before bedtime even rolls around, there are a few things you can do during the day that will help you get a good night’s rest.

Tip #1: Get sunlight exposure

Tip #2: Exercise

Tip #3: Avoid naps longer than 20-minutes

Establish a Bedtime Routine

Focusing on relaxation before bedtime will help you wind down so you can fall asleep faster.

You can set up a bedtime routine where you create a soothing environment and do one or two activities every night before bed, such as reading, meditating, or listening to music.

Taking a warm bath before bed has also been shown to improve sleep quality because it lowers your body temperature which makes it easier to fall asleep.

What to do if you can’t fall asleep

We’ve all been there.

You wind down for the evening, get yourself to bed on time, and then end up twisting and turning in the sheets for hours instead of getting some much-needed rest.

What do you do if you just can’t fall asleep?

Next video Play Audio

What to do if you wake up in the middle of the night?

If you wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep you are not alone.

Waking up in the middle of the night is very common. Fortunately, research has found some good techniques for helping you fall back asleep, and stay asleep.

Next video Play Audio

How to get yourself up and moving in the morning

All the tips we’ve covered so far help with getting a good night’s sleep and that will also translate to helping you wake up in the morning feeling refreshed.

However, there are a few things you can include in your morning routine to help you feel awake and ready to take on the day.

Up and at 'em!

Tips for getting your kids to bed

Sleep is crucial for child development and these tips will help your child get enough sleep while also making sure that bedtime doesn’t become a daily stressor for you or them.

Our key takeaways:

1. Set up a sleep routine for your kids
2. Limit their screen time
3. Exercise
4. Control Napping
5. Avoid Caffeine
6. Choose nutritious snacks
7. Keep Pets away from the bed
8. Address any bedtime fears during the day
9. Stay positive and relaxed

Summary of Tips

Most of us struggle to get enough sleep, even though we know how important it is to our overall health and wellbeing.

We are busy with work, school, and family and sleep is always the first thing to go. In this module, we covered multiple tips to help you get a good night’s sleep.

In this video, we will summarize those tips in case you need a refresher at any point.

Jet lag, daylight savings and other sleep schedule disruptions

Many of us find ourselves in situations where we cannot prevent our sleep from being disrupted. International travel, daylight savings time, grueling night shifts, your children waking you up.

What do you do in these situations?