How to Get a Better Night Sleep Naturally

An often-overlooked aspect to creating more calm in your life is your physical health. When your body feels better, you’re bound to have an improved mental outlook. A key component to better health is learning how to get a better night sleep naturally. This can be difficult for many of us when our lives are jam-packed and our minds are constantly on overload.

I totally understand, friend! I remember when my children were little, I found myself folding laundry at midnight. Never mind the fact that my children woke up by 7am (which, of course, meant that I was up very early.) But, eventually I burned out on that schedule. I had to get more sleep because the consequences–my cranky self–couldn’t cope with four rambunctious kids. I yelled. A lot. And my frazzled brain gave in to negative thoughts. Don’t do that to yourself and your family! Follow these tips for how to get more sleep naturally, and you’ll be getting better sleep in no time.

A woman showing how to get better sleep naturally

First, Get Your Best Mattress

First and foremost, get the the best mattress you can afford. Go to the store so that you can test out each mattress and find the one that feels best for you. It’s a good idea to try to find a store that allows for a trial period to make sure you love it and that you’ll sleep well night after night. If you can’t afford a new mattress, check out body pillows and thick mattress pads, especially memory foam ones. If you’re uncomfortable and frequently wake up with back pain, these other tips won’t help. You need a new mattress.

Fundamentals of How to Get a Better Night Sleep Naturally

Keep it Cool

Temperature matters when it comes to getting a good night’s rest. You want to sleep in a room that is cool in order to promote sleep. Cooler temperatures alert your body that it’s time to sleep. The ideal range for sleeping is 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit, 15-18 degrees Celsius. Think about trying to sleep when it’s hot outside. Uugh. Turn the thermostat down at night and see how much easier falling asleep becomes.

Make it Dark

For some people, even the faintest light lowers their melatonin levels and disturbs their circadian rhythm. Waking up to see light filtering in through the curtains can truly disturb your rest and make it harder to fall back asleep. That’s why it’s smart to add light-blocking drapes to your bedroom. Keeping things nice and dark will add to your nighttime routine. In addition, avoid adding night lights if at all possible. Seeing favorite objects in the room distracts children and adults alike, in addition to affecting melatonin.

Add Soothing Colors

Calming, cool colors are best for the bedroom. A nice pastel will promote rest and relaxation far better than a brighter hue. Save the brights for more energetic spaces like the kitchen or living room. Color matters when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep.

Make it Neat

This one goes without saying. Be sure to clear the physical clutter in your bedroom as much as possible. As already mentioned, seeing piles of laundry to be put away or the paperwork that’s waiting for you in the morning will not put you in the right frame of mind for rest. They are huge distractions. Get rid of other types of distractions like television, computers, and excessive décor as well.

Other Important Considerations for How to Get a Better Night Sleep Naturally

Avoid screens

In addition to blocking light from filtering in the room, it’s important to avoid light from screens, too. The type of light that phones, computers, alarm clocks, bright sunlight, and televisions emit triggers the brain to stay awake. The best thing is to avoid all these sources of light for at least one hour before bed. Another possibility is adjusting your screen settings to have a warm, orange hue after 3pm. If you can, you might try special glasses. Instead of watching late night movies or scrolling social media before bed, try reading a book, drawing or coloring, or listening to calming music.

Sun exposure

Exposure to the sun sets your circadian clock. Melatonin levels gradually rise starting at 3pm and peaking in the early morning hours. For your body to properly set itself, you must spend some time in the sun on a regular basis. Note that newborns and shift workers have trouble getting quality sleep because they don’t get this sun exposure.

Reconsider Your Alarm Clock

Not only do you want to sleep well through the night, how you wake up can also have an effect on how you feel. A harsh, high-pitched, buzzing alarm clock will jar you awake. This can cause you to feel agitated, rather than rested and rejuvenated. Look for one that wakes you gradually, with music that increases slowly in volume or that adds increments of light to help you to adjust to the waking hours.

Hopefully, these tips will help you to create the bedroom of your dreams. Your surroundings make a difference to your sleep quality. Make your room as pleasant to all of your senses as possible in order to enhance your rest.