Tips to Ensure you get a Good Night’s Sleep

I am no sleep expert but I know that when I am not getting a good night’s sleep there is at least one thing that I need to fix or adjust. Good sleep is so vital for our everyday functioning that it is important to ensure we get enough of it. And we need to make sure it is deep blissful sleep, not sleep that is disturbed often by one thing or another.

The last time I wrote about insomnia, so many people have read this post and remarked on how helpful it’s been. You see, you do need to fix whatever it is that is preventing you from sleeping. Here are a few things you will need to adjust to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.

Wind down time

You need to get into a routine where your body gently lowers you into sleep. In other words, you need to stop all hectic activities both for body and brain, at least one hour before it is time to sleep. Even watching something on the TV can be too heavy on the brain right before sleep. If you engage in this, you will find yourself lying there and trying hard to fall asleep but your brain is too busy processing what it just received.

If you enjoy reading before bed time, make sure that it is not very ‘heavy’ reading and also, dim the lights for this.

Use blackout curtains

For a good night’s sleep, use curtains that restrict the light from coming in. Your body is made wonderfully so that it starts to relax for restful sleep when you are in a darkened room. No wonder I sometimes fall asleep at the cinema!

Avoid stress

Sure, a little stress is good, but avoid the kind of excess that keeps you up at night thinking and worrying. If it is a situation that you need to get out of, do it, for your own mental health’s sake. If it is someone that you need to forgive, do it and let it go. From my own experience, having a spirit of unforgiveness keeps me up and prevents me from sleeping.

Wear suitable bed clothes and sleep on the appropriate bed linen

Does this even need an explanation? Clothes for sleep need to be lightweight, soft on the skin, breathable, and comfortable. Don’t even forget that they must be clean and smelling fresh! Recently we learnt about IDENTITY LINGERIE and had to check them out. We were not disappointed as their PJs fit all the necessary criteria for perfect nightwear. We opted for their luxury pajamas in pink and blue (of course we had to match up).  Their mission is to get people feeling unapologetically confident and self-loving! Leading by example, they offer an inclusive size range and a custom size option catering to any unique needs their customers might have.

A warm drink

This one is actually debatable. For me, a warm, non-caffeinated drink is so calming and relaxing before bed. However, I must admit that this usually results in me needing to use the toilet soon after I have fallen asleep. You just have to know you and your body. At my age and stage in life, my bladder is no longer fit for an all-nighter! Choose the option to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.

Establish a routine

Your routine might be different from mine but it is a set of things we do to ensure you get a good night’s sleep. It might involve, listening to soft music, talking with a friend or partner, singing, listening to a certain sound that makes you feel sleepy, or writing your thoughts in a journal. The aim of this routine is to help you to relax, unwind, meditate, and then sleep. Prayer and reflection is a major part of my routine.

Count your blessings

If in your wind-down routine, you reflect on what wasn’t so good today, give yourself some grace and count your blessings instead. Think of all the positives you have, experience, and are. This will divert your reflection to being a positive and grateful one where you are more likely to fall asleep with a big smile on your face and a grateful heart in your chest.

If you can think of some other tips for helping you have a good night’s sleep, be sure to drop them in the comments below. I look forward to hearing them. For example, some people  swear by KALMS, pillow sprays, sleep mist diffusers, and Nytol herbal tablets.