7 Expert Hacks to Help You Get the Best Sleep Ever

Even after a crazy full day at work and/or a stressful day of lectures, switching your brain off and falling asleep can sometimes feel impossible. And with nights filled with tossing and turning in bed, Netflix binging and scrolling through your social media feeds, many people
find it especially hard to have a good night’s sleep.

According to Andrew Holmes, RPSGT, Corporate Sleep Consultant and
founder of Sleep Efficiency, improving your sleep starts with good sleep hygiene. “What this is, is essentially different practices and habits that are necessary to have good nighttime sleep and alternatively, full day-time awareness and optimal waking hours,” says Holmes. The ultimate goal is to get seven to nine hours of sleep. To help you out, Holmes walks us through some tips to help improve your sleep hygiene.

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Set a bedtime routine

Getting the seven to nine sleep is definitely easier said than done, so to help, Holmes suggests starting with a proper bedtime routine. “Set a time to sleep and wake up. Your routine could involve switching off the electronics, taking a nice hot bath, reading a book or maybe listen to some light, soft music.

Really, anything that slowly relaxes your body to prepare for bed,” he explains. The key to a proper bedtime routine is consistency. “Keeping a consistent sleep routine is a great one [tip], and what I mean by that is going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time.”

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Avoid caffeine in the afternoon

Caffeine is a stimulant that can stay in your system for hours and can affect your ability to fall asleep at night. Caffeine can impact the various stages of sleep that we go through. According to Holmes, you should cut your coffee intake after 2 PM.

RELATED: 10 reasons you should be sleeping naked.

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Avoid working out too close to bedtime

A lot of studies have shown that the more you exercise the deeper stages of sleep and rest you achieve. Keep in mind, you shouldn’t be working out too close to your bedtime. “A rule of thumb is to not exercise two hours before bed,” says Holmes.

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Flip your mattress

According to Holmes, the life expectancy of a mattress is seven to 12 years. If you’re noticing that your sleep is becoming less restorative and refreshing and/or if you’re having a hard time falling asleep, get the most out of your mattress and flip it over before splurging on a brand new one. According to Holmes, you should really be sleeping on a firm mattress that supports your spine and neck to help keep you in a neutral position throughout the night.

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Turn off your electronics an hour before bed

Scrolling through your social media timelines and watching reruns of your favourite shows may seem like a harmless way to fall asleep, but according to Holmes, the blue light of phones, laptops and televisions delays the release of melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone).

See more: 10 bad things that happen to you when you don't get enough sleep.

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Limit your alcohol intake

Although alcohol is known to help you relax and fall asleep faster, it negatively affects your sleep later in the night. Alcohol suppresses our rem sleep, which is the stage of sleep actually affects the cognitive process and our mental horsepower.

Alcohol also interrupts our sleep by causing us to take more bathroom throughout the night. “It [alcohol] also causes dehydration as everybody knows, and that causes you to drink more water, which leads to more bathroom visits and therefore you’re getting up more,” explains Holmes.

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Dim lights in the house an hour before bedtime

Exposure to light affects our body’s Circadian rhythm (An internal “clock” that is running in the background of your brain that cycles between sleepiness and alertness at regular intervals), so Holmes also suggests dimming the lights around the house after dinner or an hour before your set bedtime.

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