I'm sure you've heard statements like "sleep is for the weak!" or "I'll sleep when I'm dead!" or you've felt the societal induced shame if you dare get up after 8:00 am. There's no possible way that you can be a productive member of society if you don't get out of bed by 5:00 am!
Here's the thing: sleep is for the strong and the people who want to actually feel alive. And believe it or not, not everyone is built to be productive AF before 7 am. And that's okay.
Sure, there are going to be times when you're not going to get as much sleep because of special occasions or being a new parent or a number of other things.
The important thing is that you get enough good quality sleep in a way that makes sense for your life.
Here are 3 simple steps to getting better sleep:
Step 1: Know what specifically is causing you to get crappy sleep.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it needs to be said. Plus it's gonna be really hard to make changes if you don't know what the issues are in the first place, how many there are, and which ones you're ready, willing, and able to change at this point in time. You may have some things popping into your brain box already, but here are some suggestions if you need some ideas of possible issues:
Not having a nighttime routine
Doing things that keep your mind going late into the night (whether it's social media, TV, reading a good book, messaging a friend, the list goes on)
Eating too late and having digestive issues
Too much caffeine through the day
Not enough movement through the day (yes lack of activity can make it harder to fall asleep)
Fear of sleep (i.e. not feeling safe enough to sleep)
Having a newborn or young kids
Having a third shift job or weird work hours
Being sick
Having a sleep environment that's uncomfortable (too hot/cold, too light/dark, etc.)
The list goes on and on and on, right?
Step 2: Which thing would have the most impact if you changed it?
It's likely that there isn't one single thing that's causing you to get crappy sleep so once you're clear on what all the reasons are then you need to decide which things would have the biggest impact on your sleep. What one or two changes would allow you to go to bed earlier, fall asleep faster, or be able to stay asleep? Perhaps your top 3 things would be having a different work schedule that fits you better, having a nighttime routine to wind you down, and reducing your caffeine intake through the day. This leads us to our last step...
Step 3: Which thing you can change most easily right now?
...and then actually follow through and do it. For example, changing jobs might not be an option right now (perhaps you could begin looking for something else), but creating an intentional nighttime (or bedtime if you're a 3rd shifter) routine is something you can do right now. Then do that! The best nighttime routines are going to consist of some form of prepping for the next day and practicing some form of self-care. In fact, I have a few other posts that could give you some ideas on how to create a routine that will help you wind down:
Going for the lowest hanging fruit is key here. Bigger changes may take more time, but that doesn't mean you don't do what you can right now to improve your situation.
This is the type of thing I help people with inside my SNAP Method program- the first pillar being SLEEP because sleep is the base of our overall wellness. That's followed up by Nutrition, Activity, and Personal Self-Care because all of these integrate together to dictate our health and wellness. For more info on this program email me "SNAP Method" at janna@jl-wellness.com.
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