3 Tips To Improve Your Sleep

3 Tips to Improve Your SLEEP

Let’s kick your week off with some amazing sleep, shall we?

3 tips to improve your sleep this week:

1. Dim the lights

Yo, CHILL on the bright lights at bedtime, friend. Your brain doesn't work like a lightswitch - things don't immediately switch to sleep mode when you turn off the lights. It takes time! Plus, while we WANT blue light around during the day, when it's blaring straight into our retinas after sunset, our brain is being told that it's daytime - hence keeping you awake.

TL;DR

Switch from overhead lights to dim lamps after sunset and wear blue blocker glasses like Swanwick (ESPECIALLY if you won't quit screen time).
Put salt lamps in your bedroom and bathroom (mood lighting goalz).

2. Box breathe at 10a, 2p and bedtime

Iiiif only we could run a million miles an hour in fight or flight mode and then go straight to zen when it's bedtime. Alas, we cannot, so if you're in that whole “thoughts racing at bedtime, can't calm down” train, try actually making time for your thoughts to race and get yourself calm throughout the day. Breathing is your nervous system's bae, and box breathing is just one of many helpful strategies

TL;DR

Hit 10-15 breaths at this tempo:
- INHALE 3 seconds (through your nose)
- HOLD 3 seconds at the top
- EXHALE 3 seconds (through your nose or mouth)
- HOLD 3 seconds at the bottom
Repeat 10-15 times

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3. Stop snoozing

I know. It's so dang cozy to roll back over and cuddle those extra few minutes. But when you set your alarm earlier than you need, you're robbing yourself of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep which tends to occur more in the morning. Once the alarm starts squalling, you’ve already disrupted your sleep cycle, and your chance at REM sleep is bye-bye (side note - find a more calming alarm sound that gradually rises in volume, plz).

TL;DR