4 Steps to the Improved Sleep of Your Dreams

We’re willing to bet pillow talk comes up with your coworkers almost daily. Nope, we don’t mean the X-rated stuff you dread talking to your teen about, but rather the baffling lack of sleep most Americans suffer from. While this topic may sound like a snoozefest, your health, work performance, and relationships will all benefit from improved sleep. 

Only 21% of Americans get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night. The most cited reason for lost sleep: stress or anxiety. 

The most common culprit of said feelings is work. So, if stress or anxiety are affecting your sleep, one of the best things you can do is learn to manage your work stress. Losing sleep creates a catch-22, as getting less than seven hours of sleep each night can make you angry, sad, and even more stressed. 

It may feel like nothing you do makes a difference, but sticking to these tried-and-true methods for improved sleep will have you waking up refreshed in no time!

4 Steps to Drastically Improved Sleep 

You already know you should be getting 7 to 8 hours of quality time between the sheets each night. Utilize these tips to turn your ideation into determination and wake up cheerfully rested!

1. Find a bedtime routine that excites you

Just like you plan and fantasize about exciting day-time events, you should develop a pre-sleep routine that you look forward to. Whether it’s turning off your phone, listening to music, or taking a shower, the more you do the same thing, the more likely you are to make sleep a priority.

And remember – it takes 21 days to form a new habit and 66 for it to become automatic. So give these tips some time to improve your sleep habits (and don’t beat yourself up if you skip a night here and there). 

2. Create a safe place for sleep

Sometimes you just have to declutter your workspace before you can get to work, and the same goes for sleeping. Create a calm, relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom and you’re likely to improve your sleep quality!

And because lack of sleep affects our concentration, recollection, and general work tasks, you’ll wake up more productive when you’re not sleep deprived.

3. Sleep during prime hours

We get the most beneficial hormonal secretions and recovery when sleeping during the hours of 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. If going to bed by 10 p.m. sounds laughable to you, try it just one day this week. Slowly work your way up to multiple days of the week until it comes naturally every night!

If you need help falling asleep at 10 p.m., consider natural sleep aids like exercising during the day, cutting out smoking, and stopping caffeine consumption by 2 p.m. If you want to take your health a step further, try cutting out caffeine altogether! 

4. Learn to say no

If late-night texts and emails keep you up, start turning your phone off an hour or so before bed. If you feel pressure to attend events that you know will affect your sleep, consider whether they’re a good fit for your life. Everything you say “yes” to should align with your current life goals and priorities.

Of course, all the sleep tips in the world won’t work if you’ve got an underlying health issue causing your fatigue. It could be anything from anemia to vitamin B12 deficiency, so talk to your doctor if you’ve given these sleep tips a solid try and still aren’t seeing results.

If you are deficient in vitamin B12, don’t worry. You can still achieve a good night’s sleep! Contact us to schedule an appointment for a vitamin B12 supplement that will benefit your work, your sleep, and everything in between.