If you have a hard time putting your phone down at night, you’re not alone. In fact, you are part of the majority – so am I.
According to a 2023 study conducted by Sleepopolis, two out of every three people surveyed said they use their cell phone before bed. Additionally, 42% of them said they use social media to fall asleep and use social media immediately after waking up.
The study involved 1,495 American adults. I empathize with the people who make up the majority of this study, because for a long time I too enjoyed playing with my phone before bed and sometimes when I woke up.
Many of us use alarm clocks built into our phones, so it’s almost easy to turn them off or on, swipe to check email notifications, social media, news sites, and more. When I realized I had developed this habit, I wondered if it was affecting the quality of my sleep. That’s possible, according to the National Library of Medicine, as a 2017 study found that exposure to blue light at night suppresses melatonin, which can worsen insomnia.
Armed with this information, I decided to overhaul my nighttime routine and make some positive changes to my morning routine in order to feel more rested overall. But first let me say that it’s not as easy as it sounds.
The first and perhaps most important step was understanding what healthy sleep habits are. So I spoke to Katherine Veasey Morris, a clinical psychologist at MindWell in New York City. In addition to helping patients develop healthy nighttime habits, Morris treats insomnia with cognitive behavioral therapy and measures a restful night’s sleep by focusing on overall sleep efficiency. I am. Ideally, she says, people’s sleep efficiency is between 85% and 90%. This means that if you are in bed for 10 hours, you will be sleeping for 8.5 to 9 hours of that time.
Whether you have insomnia or simply lack of sleep, both conditions can have negative effects on your body. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, sleep deprivation not only causes everyday problems such as irritability, but it can also lead to serious long-term health conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, and depression. .
This makes it all the more important to nip bad sleep habits in the bud and review your nightly habits. Below are steps and some products to help you get quality sleep tonight. And believe us, your body and mind will thank you for the extra effort.
1. Cool with caffeine
Morris says her first tip for sleeping better is to avoid all caffeine after lunch. According to WebMD, it can take up to 10 hours for caffeine to leave your body, which makes it even more important to stop consuming caffeine. at least Hours before your scheduled bedtime. Unfortunately, there aren’t any nifty gadgets to help you with this step, but here are four tips on how you can start cutting back today. Alternatively, you can switch to a caffeine-free herbal tea.
2. Create a bedtime routine
Morris says the key to creating this routine is to base it on how you personally like to wind down at night. That includes reading or relaxing on the couch with your family. Then start adding in the little things that you enjoy doing that make a big difference.
“I like to brush my teeth and wash my face right after dinner, right? Because if I get really sleepy, I wake up again,” says Morris.
I took Morris’ advice here and started doing the same, and it made a big difference for me when bedtime approached. I also included some relaxing, light stretches and picked out my outfit for the next day to shorten my overall morning routine. Personally, I’ve learned that it’s better to do more “work” at night to prepare for the next day.
You can create your own pre-bedtime routine, but strenuous exercise is not recommended within three hours of bedtime. Instead, focus on more gentle activities like reading a book, reading an e-reader, or writing in a journal.
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3. Put down your phone and turn off the TV
This step was the most difficult for me to accomplish. To be honest, even after weeks of trying to kick this habit, I still have some failures, but I’ve learned some helpful tips. The number one goal here is to set a strict bedtime and turn off electronics at least an hour before that time.
“One of my rules is never to leave my phone in bed,” Morris says, adding that if you want to spend your evening scrolling through social media on your phone, do it on your couch or at home. He added that he would. It can be used anywhere other than the kitchen table or bed.
“Phone calls are often like dopamine boosters, so that doesn’t mean they’ll help you fall asleep,” Morris says.
You can choose different bedtime goals depending on your schedule and whether you have weekends or weeknights, but it’s generally recommended that adults get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Once you set your bedtime, your goal is to get as close to that bedtime as possible each night. This will help you stick to your routine and continue developing healthy habits. Personally, I aim to go to bed by 11pm at the latest on weekday nights. Also, keep in mind that this means you are fully asleep, not just lying in bed and using your phone or tablet.
Investing in a traditional alarm clock is also a way to help accomplish this step. This way you can keep your phone away from your bed so you’re less likely to pick it up in the evening. (Another tip is to put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode or turn off all notifications during this time so you’re not tempted to interact with it.)
The smart alarm also works as a sound and light machine in the evening and morning, helping you improve your sleep quality.
This sunrise alarm provides soothing sounds and lighting at night to help you get the best sleep ever.
If you don’t want to invest a lot of money, the simple and traditional way Alarm clock for less than $10. Morris says the only thing to keep in mind when using an alarm clock is to make sure you don’t end up looking at it all night.
“It’s really hard to look at the clock,” she says. “The moment we start doing math, we start to wake up.”
I haven’t gotten around to buying an alarm clock yet, but what has worked for me is putting my phone on the opposite side of my bedroom. This is a win-win for me. One, I don’t have to use my phone at night, and two, I have to get out of bed first thing in the morning and turn off my alarm, which allows me to start my day earlier without procrastinating. on social media.
4. “Take a day off.”
Step 3 is the most difficult for me, but step 4 is my personal favorite. Mainly because I love lists. This step is especially helpful for people who may feel anxious about facing the next day due to a long list of errands, chores, and other daily obligations. This feeling can often keep you up at night.
Morris said she works with her customers to “give them a day off.” This is a specific type of diary in which you can write one line for each thought in order to relax yourself in the evening. This can be done as long or short as you like.
“Write one line for every thought that comes to mind, and you can literally take a day off by creating a list for the next day,” says Morris.
For me, writing a short to-do list in the evening before a busy day is extremely helpful and motivating. I don’t do this every day, but I like to do it when I’m feeling stressed or want to feel like I’ve completed a task on a dedicated weekend. If you don’t like this way of writing, there are other ways to write in your diary at night. Nighttime diary.
Another way I personally “relax for the day” is by practicing meditation or mindfulness in my pre-bedtime routine. If you’re not sure where to start with meditation, there are many tools that can help, including guided light machines.
Practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique before bed with this sound and light machine.
read more: Conquer your sleep troubles with these 9 calming yoga poses
5.The power of sound
Going to bed doesn’t necessarily mean that the work is completely done. For some people, it takes a little more effort. In some cases, you may need to wear a sleep mask if you are sensitive to light, or play rain, waterfall sounds, or white noise on a sound machine all night to drown out ambient noise in your home.
Enjoy 20 different sound options with this portable machine. From rain to birdsong to white noise, there’s something for everyone.
There are many sound machines available, but if you want to combine both of these features, a sleep mask with Bluetooth functionality could be your best friend.
If you sleep with a partner who wants to sleep without soothing sounds, a sleep mask with built-in headphones is the perfect solution.
You may be able to achieve soothing sounds using items you already have in your home, such as portable fans or air purifiers that mimic white noise sounds when used.
read more: CNET Wellness Editors Reveal Their Favorite Ways to Get Better Sleep
As with any routine, the most important thing is to find what works best for you. Improving your night routine will have a positive impact on the next day, but it’s also important to tweak your morning routine.
