Some days I miss being a teenager. Not the acne or the awkwardness, but the ability to sleep well into the afternoon.
Do you remember those days?
Maybe you’re reliving those day with teenagers now.
With each passing year, I’m finding it harder to secure a really good night’s sleep—the kind that leaves me stretching like a well-rested cat in bed. All too often I find myself staggering out of bed, hair looking like a sprinkler head, stumbling for the coffee.
So I decided to do something it. Not only did I commit to discovering the wonder of rest (as described in Wonderstruck), but also being intentional about getting the kind of zzzzz’s that leave me energetic instead of empty in the morning.
Here are a few tips I discovered along the way:
1. Set an earlier dinnertime. In trying to find a good night’s sleep, I soon noticed that the later we work, the later we eat, and the later we go to bed. When we committed to ending work by a certain time, we began to eat earlier, and reoriented our routine to an earlier bedtime. Plus, my stomach wasn’t busy digesting food and keeping me awake.
2. Build a cave. When it comes to catching lots of z-z-z’s, light is the enemy. Studies show chronic light can decrease melatonin production—a sleep hormone. We purchased blackout shades and learned to keep windows closed whenever possible to create a quiet, dark environment. We draped a cloth over our clock iPod docking stations. And we purchased a noise machine that creates ambient noise. At first, I couldn’t stand the humming. Now we travel with that little device and get better sleep everywhere we go.
3. Skip the afternoon caffeine. I’m a softy for late afternoon Starbucks run, a cool pitcher of iced tea, and or a diet soda, but I had learn to stop drinking caffeine by noon if I wanted to be ready to nod off as soon as I climbed in bed. I now opt for sparkling water.
4. Resist the late night munchies. Those salty chips and sweets seem to shout my name in the later hours, but eating them provides an insulin and energy boost that makes nodding off harder.
5. Say “No” to one more episode. It’s the ultimate temptation. Just one more episode of Parks & Rec. I have to know how this season of Downton Abbey ends. But it’s How I Met Your Mother. Puh-leease! I’ve been known to beg. This is the toughest change I’ve had to make. But learning to keep a consistent bedtime and resist the urge to watch one more 22-minute show added dozens of hours into our sleep bank—helping Leif and I wake up and live more well rested.
What do you do to get a really great night’s sleep?
*Photo courtesy of here
Sleep? What’s that?
We are in the busy season of life right now with our kids and sleep comes at cost since I’m most productive after the kids go to bed! I have to force myself to get to bed earlier. I’ve also found that when I eat a healthier diet, I sleep better. Great tips! 
Jeanette,
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I have to “force myself” to catch those z-z-z’s too, or else they scamper away all to easily. And one side note: despite what the picture suggests, sleeping in water isn’t the best way to get a great night’s sleep.
Margaret, I so love your sense of humor. Of course if Jesus walked on water….why not sleep?
Number 5 resonates with me the most– how can you say “NO” to one (or three) more episodes of Friends!?
2 and 5 hit me– we put blackout curtains behind our curtains in our bedroom. But then we had such a hard time getting up in the morning! So now we draw only one of the blackout curtains/curtain combos and use the regular curtain over the other. Works for us!
Now that’s REALLY Working
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I drink a cup of Sleepytime Tea about an hour before bed. I also try to go to bed about the same time everynight {except for when there is a Friday night high school football game}. Would love to have my room “dark” but husband needs the light.
Lorna,
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Oooh. And I’m a big fan of peppermint tea, too for rest. Caffeine free, course
I also drink sleepytime tea! I just switched jobs and getting good sleep has been tough with everything racing in my mind. I bought a Lark — noiseless alarm and sleep monitor about a month ago. The analytics are great for helping me learn what gives me a good night’s sleep. Couldn’t recommend it more! (www.ourlark.com)
Margaret, this is an excellent post! Some great reminders (caffeine, late night snacks) that I need to remember. Thanks!
Jim,
Thanks for the kind words! I have to remind myself, too, from time to time.
I’m dealing with #4 right now – my accounting homework would be much better if it was paired with a late-night snack… but if a snack means worse sleep, I think I’ll survive without it
Thanks for this post!
I found this on Pinterest and thought it was really cool
http://sleepyti.me/
Cheryl,
Okay, that is really fun. Thanks for sharing such a great little site
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Margaret,
Always love reading your stuff! One of the things that I do is go to bed with a clean conscience. “Confess your sins to one other and pray for one another so that you will be healed!”
Confession and keeping a short account, with Heather and others, help me sleep like a baby every night:)
Ryan
Ryan,
A HUGE AMEN shout out! Yes…confession..and not letting that sun dip below the horizon when there’s anger are fabulous.
Hi Margaret
Thank you for these tips! I need to add them to my repertoire!
I am a night owl and have always said that I do my best work after 8, but that does not make getting to work on time in the morning easy and I’ve had to learn to go to sleep earlier. Three things that have helped me tremendously are sticking to the same bedtime routine, so your body knows it’s time to switch off; keeping the room cool; and taking melatonin and magnesium supplements an hour or so before bedtime. Both supplements are great for helping you sleep and they are natural antidepressants, which is great for the characteristic morning grumpiness that many night owls inflict on their poor families, hehe.
Heidi,
Those are awesome tips. I know people suggest taking melatonin when travelling overseas to help with jetlag. I didn’t know you could take them on a regular basis. If so, that’s awesome!
Isn’t it funny how training ourselves to go to bed is like cracking a code of figuring out what works? Glad you’ve found some keys!
Hug, Margaret