My Sleep Improved After I Followed These 3 Simple Habits

“Sleep is like a cat: It only comes to you if you ignore it.” — Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl

Sleep is indeed like a cat. Some days you will toss and turn trying to find your cat but she will escape you and hop out of bed.

Other times, she will come to you and you will fall asleep in a jiffy.

But if you are like me, you are more interested in finding a routine and sticking to it. Have a shower, listen to some quiet chill music, light the scented candle, and let sleep whisk you away.

However, you get irritated and frustrated when sleep is elusive. Particularly when you have an early morning and you really need to get to sleep but she is so elusive.

Neuroscientist Athena Akrami PhD says

“Once sleep is disrupted, it can impact mental and physical health, which may in turn cause further sleep disruption”

So, learning what works for you and sticking to it might be your best solution to ensure you fall asleep as soon as you get to bed.

Science shows that lack of enough sleep contributes to diverse diseases including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ailments.

Therefore, to ensure we remain healthy, active, and productive, it is important to cultivate positive habits that help us get to sleep. Through steady experimentation, I learned three easy habits that have been effective in helping me to fall asleep within a moment’s notice.

Creating a sleep-friendly environment

A recent study in 2023 showed that to have a good night’s rest, it was vital to create a relaxing environment. Bedrooms that are optimized for levels of noise and light are observed to lead to better sleep quality and duration.

What’s more, you don’t need to break the bank to create a sleep-friendly bedroom. I observed that focusing on the lighting, temperature, sanitation, noise, and bedding went a long way to ensure that I could get quality sleep.

In my case, I ensured to vacuum my bedroom regularly, change my bedding more frequently and reduce the light levels at night to help me get to sleep more easily.

Soaking up before bedtime

A 2022 Poll by Sleep Foundation showed that showering before bed was a popular ritual next to watching TV. While some prefer to shower early in the morning, taking that late-night shower might be better than you think.

Experts say that showering before bedtime helps you relax and sets the mood for a good night’s sleep. Incorporating this routine into your bedtime habits can send signals to your brain that it is time to sleep.

A further benefit is that you sleep cleaner and hence minimize the build-up of dirt and sweat on your beddings.

Since I integrated hot showers before bedtime, I have experienced better sleep patterns and I am more relaxed.

Reducing screen time

This last habit involves avoiding any form of contact with my smartphone or electronic devices an hour before bed.

The impact of screen time on sleep patterns has been widely studied and insights show that digital devices are bad for your sleep.

Dr. Cooper says that two or more hours of screen time in the evening can disrupt the surge of melatonin that is necessary to fall asleep.

To adopt the habit, consider engaging in a different relaxing activity such as taking a shower or reading a book to distract yourself.

Concluding thoughts

A lot has been written about getting better sleep and diverse strategies may be adopted.

I have learned to pick what works for me and currently, I observed that creating a good sleep-friendly environment, reducing screen time, and taking a hot shower before bed were essential in ensuring I slept well. This way, I ignored my cat and she came straight onto my lap.