“Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.” —Thomas Dekker

If you have restless nights or feel tired in the morning, I have help: six simple steps to your best sleep ever.

So many people struggle with sleep. A multitude of factors can disrupt our systems – lifestyle choices, environment, schedules… And worrying about it (at least for me) only seems to make it worse. If you have difficulty falling or staying asleep, or wake up tired, proper sleep hygiene can be life-changing.

Six simple steps to your best sleep ever:

1: Start with a consistent daily sleep/wake schedule. Including weekends. A 6-6:30 am wake-up and a 10-10:30 pm bedtime is ideal.

2: Add movement to your day. Bonus points for taking it outdoors in the early morning. Natural light sends strong signals to your circadian clocks.

3: Minimize stimulants (alcohol, caffeine), especially later in the day. I even avoid watching the evening news—way too stress-inducing.

4: Turn off your screens and dim your lights a few hours before bedtime. 

5: Establish a pre-bed ritual. A warm bath, stretch, meditation, some herbal tea.

6: Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet.If you share your bed, consider separate duvets. Better temperature regulation and less disturbance when the covers inevitably get pulled away.

Chris Carruthers’ Exhausted Person’s Guide to the 4 Fundamentals to Overcome Insomnia and Conquer Fatigue has even more ideas. It has strategies, skills and detailed checklists to help you create a personalized action plan. Highly recommend!

Commit to getting the sleep you need (7 – 9 hours for most adults). Set your alarm to remind you to unwind and get to bed on time to make it happen. Not got a regular sleep-wake cycle? Read sync your sleep schedule to figure it out.  

Give these six steps a try for the next month. Then let me know if they help you have your best sleep ever!