6 Proven Tips to Sleep Better at Night

Many people grossly underestimate the power of a good night's rest. Too often, people rely on caffeine, stimulating vitamins and other energizing resources to make it through the day. However, with the right amount of sleep, you can be energized, lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. In order to get a good night's rest and maintain a healthy sleep regimen, consider the following tips.

1. Make the room cooler.
If you know people who don't like to fall asleep without a fan, there's a reason behind it. It's easier for many people to fall asleep with cool air blowing on them. If you don't like cool air blowing on you with a fan, lower the temperature in the room. This is relevant even in the colder months. If you just take the temperature and decrease it a couple degrees, this can make a difference in the amount of quality sleep you receive. Most people like to snuggle with comforters and it's a lot easier to do so when you're cold versus when you're hot. Actually, it can be very uncomfortable to sleep in the heat.

2. Get rid of electronics.
There is a reason why many electronic devices have a sleep/nighttime mode. The blue light that emits from your phone triggers something in your brain that tells it to stay awake. So, it is almost impossible to fall asleep quickly when you're scrolling on your phone. If you use your phone as an alarm to wake up the next morning, place the phone outside of your reach. If you're in your bed, put your phone across the room. This way, when the phone goes off in the morning, you have no choice but to get up out of bed to turn it off.

3. Invest in an amazing mattress and great bedding.
Unfortunately, there are many people who don't recognize the power of good bedding and a good mattress. If your mattress is too hard or too soft, this can mess with your posture in the long run. Save yourself the body aches and invest in a good mattress. Also, make sure that you get comfortable, breathable sheets. This will make your bedtime experience a lot more comfortable and enjoyable. You shouldn't wait until you get to a hotel to experience good bedding. Make the investment. It matters.

4. Develop a bedtime ritual.
Find a few activities that you can do before bedtime to trigger your brain to wind down. After dinner, do a few stretches. Watch a 30-minute sitcom. Turn off all electronics after that sitcom. Go take a nice, long bath. Use essential oils once you get out of the bath. Oils like lavender and bergamot are soothing and calming. Drink a nice, warm cup of chamomile tea. Dim the lights and pull out a book until you fall asleep. These practices will help you tremendously.

5. Exercise.
For many people, exercise is beneficial when it's done a couple hours before bed. Exercise naturally wears a person out. This is why parents often take their kids to the park to run around and have fun a few hours before bedtime. They are intentionally trying to tire them. Do the same for your body.

6. Keep a schedule.
The body does well when it's on a specific schedule. If you currently stay awake until 2 a.m., it's going to be challenging to get in bed before 11 p.m. Transition your brain to an earlier time. If you are awake until 2 a.m., transition back 15 minutes at a time. Work on getting into bed by 1:45 a.m. the following night. Try that for another 3 nights. Then, move towards getting in bed by 1:30 a.m. Continue the 15-minute increments until you get to 11 p.m. If you'd like to continue to move it up to 9 p.m. or 10 p.m., it's up to you. Just know that you'll have to transition to get to an effective sleep schedule.

As you work toward developing a healthy sleep regimen, understand that the body might take a while to catch up. Gradually implement these steps and understand that it's a process. However, when you stick with it, it will completely change the way you live your life. Plus, you'll be a healthier person in the end.