Waking up every morning feeling like the dead? This can be a total damper on your mood and productivity and completely ruin your day. If it happens for weeks on end, the outcome is never pretty.
Getting a good night’s rest and waking up feeling refreshed and energised is an important part of your mental health and performing at your best no matter what you’re doing. But sometimes sleep can feel like the enemy. Here are four things to try to improve your sleep and wake up energised and feeling ready to take on the world.
Make your bed a sanctuary
If your bedroom isn’t a sleepy, cosy haven, what are you even doing? Turning your sleeping space into a sanctuary of rest and relaxation is essential for a good night’s sleep. If you’re working, doomscrolling or binge-watching box sets in bed, your brain won’t be able to know when it’s time to wind down.
Level up your sleeping equipment by investing in a latex mattress, memory foam pillows and comfortable new sheets, because comfort is key. Next, remove electronics from your room and resolve to do nothing in there but relax and sleep.
Ditch social media
Getting off your phone before bed can do wonders for your sleep. In fact, spending less time on social media in general can be great for your mental and physical health overall.
The blue light emanating from your phone will keep your eyes and brain wide awake, making it tough to fall asleep after you finally put your phone down. Furthermore, once you do fall asleep your brain may still be buzzing for a few hours from all that stimulation. Try to put your phone down at least an hour before bedtime.
Get to bed early
It can be difficult to fall asleep early, but taking the steps to do so will make it easier for you to get a good night’s rest, wake up energised and take on the day. Think about what time you need to wake up each morning, and work the time backwards to allow yourself at least 8 hours of sleep. Then, use that time as your bedtime.
Take into account the fact that you won’t fall asleep immediately and plan to get into bed a little earlier. There, you can read, journal, meditate, pray or do some other calming activity to help you sleep.
Create an evening routine
If you’ve struggled to sleep, you’ll have noticed how sleep impacts your productivity. Creating and sticking to an evening routine is a great way to help combat this by setting yourself up for a good morning.
Start your evening routine as soon as you’ve finished up work for the day (which ideally shouldn’t be too late). Take time for hobbies and relaxation, cooking a healthy meal, going for a walk, stretching, dimming the lights, reading a book, putting your phone away, tidying your house… or whatever activities will set you up for good quality sleep and wake up energised in the morning.
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