Would you like to improve your energy level?  

Well, sure who wouldn’t.  Right? 

If you are having a tough time getting out of bed and need 3 cups of coffee to start the day, or if you just want better stamina and energy, then start at the end.

Wait.  What?  Yes, start the night before.  Start with your sleep because better sleep equals better energy.

Maybe you already know you just aren’t getting good sleep.  Maybe you need more sleep time or less interruptions.  But, just maybe, you haven’t even thought about the quality of your rest but you feel tired during the day.  Other signs of disordered sleep can include:

• foggy thinking or forgetfulness

• anxious, irritable or depressed mood

• difficulty with coordination or making frequent mistakes

• Having enough energy to stay awake if you are engaged and moving but nodding off quickly in quiet settings

Now, most likely you can improve your sleep without any fancy tests or medications and without a bunch of supplements. 

First, how much sleep is enough?  That varies quite a bit between people but, in general, if you wake refreshed and feel alert through the day, even when placed in boring settings, then you are probably getting good sleep.  Most adults are going to need six to eight hours but some people need up to ten hours and a few may easily get by on less than six.  The National Sleep Foundation has recommendations for daily sleep across the lifespan and you can access that information here:   http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need

Some sources say up to one third of Americans don’t get enough sleep and have complaints like those above as a result. 

Now I can’t change your job or your family stress but I can help you get a better night sleep.  

There is something called sleep hygiene.  That means that you have good sleep habits starting a couple hours before going to bed.  

There are no super easy fixes here and you might have to modify some habits but this should help. 

First start cutting back on the caffeine.  Wean slowly starting with the last cup of the day.  This includes soda and probably “decaf” as well.  

If you haven’t left me over that one the rest are easier. 

• Have a regular sleep and wake time every single day even on the weekends

• Avoid alcohol at bedtime.  Sure it may relax you but alcohol actually interferes with good sleep. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/alcohol-and-sleep

• Keep your bedroom dark, dark, dark.  Cover up or get rid of any little light shining.  For me this includes throwing something over my printer because it has two lights and I would rather cover it up than unplug it every night.  

• Avoid screen time before bed.  The recommendation is no screen time for at least two hours before bed.  That includes your phone, tablet, TV, anything.  Instead use the time before bed for bonding with a family member or pet, or reading a regular book.  You know, the kind with pages you actually turn.  If you have difficulty falling asleep at night a good book can really help.  Avoid highly emotional books.  Or perhaps this would be a good time for relaxing meditation.  I like the Abide App which has options for Christian meditation or sleep helps.  I can turn it on and place my phone face-down on the night stand. 

• Shut off or disable unnecessary alerts from e-mail, texting etc.  Unless you need to be available for someone, don’t have your device constantly alerting you.  In fact, it may be better to put your phone or other device in another room.  

• Last, add in a regular exercise program.  It doesn’t have to be fancy and should not be right before bed.  Regular exercise actually helps regulate hormones and improve sleep.  Some sources say the best time to exercise is about three hours before. bed. On the rare occasion I managed to fit that in, it did work well. The problem is I most often am busy then (or tired) and I end up just skipping the exercise all together. So I opt for first thing in the morning. I’ve made exercise part of my SAVERS routine.

Raising the head of the bed helps for some people.  Sometimes even mild sleep APNEA can be improved this way.  Put a pillow under the head of your mattress and give it a try.  

If you have restless legs or muscle cramping consider some magnesium.  Magnesium is the ingredient in epsom salts.  No! Don’t eat it.  A warm bath with Epsom salts really can be helpful though.  The magnesium can be absorbed through your skin.  There are also many magnesium lotions available.  Massage some in at bedtime and you might see good improvement.  

Speaking of massage, this is a great way to treat muscle tension and open the neurological pathways to allow for good relaxation and sleep.  

There is a lot to be said for healthy diet and decreasing or eliminating sugar and artificial additives but I will save that for another post.  

Let me know if this helps. 

What are some of your best sleep tips?

What are your biggest sleep challenges?