Easy Ways to Get Better Sleep

Updated August 2024

Whether you’re the kind of person who tosses and turns on occasion or a routine insomniac, improving the quality of your sleep can improve your overall quality of life.  Getting better sleep is a part of the foundation of health. Most adults need somewhere between seven and eight hours of sleep each night, and those hours are valuable. Anything you can do to make those hours better is worth a try. 

Of course, different methods work for different people, but you can find something that works for you. Here are some easy ways to get better sleep.

1. Have a Routine

Having a bedtime routine that helps you wind down every night can help get your body and mind ready for rest. The first step in how to get a better sleep schedule is to announce, “it’s time for bed,” through soothing actions that carry the message clearly through your entire nervous system. 

Here are four suggested wind-down rituals to perform to prepare to greet your sheets:

• Soothing cleanse: Fill your tub with warm water and lavender bath salts. Epsom salts, which form the base, contain magnesium, a mineral that relaxes your muscles, and the aromatherapy from the fragrance also encourages slumber. If chronic pain keeps you awake, try playing some solfeggio tones while you submerge under the water — some believe the 528 frequency spurs healing. 
• Meditate like a monk: Sit on your bed and draw to mind one thing you did well over the past 24 hours, letting yourself physically re-experience the satisfying sensations. Then, focus on something you’d like to do better. Mindfully acknowledge the role you played and resolve to do better. Return your focus to the positive event, and finish with a loving-kindness meditation to generale love for yourself and others. 
• Stretch into sleep: You can perform many yoga moves right on your mattress, and doing so soothes your central nervous system and may encourage sleep. Master a few yin or restorative poses such as sleeping swan and supine twists, spending ten to fifteen minutes in indulgent self-care before slumber. 
• Bedtime story: You’re never too old for a bedtime story. Of course, if you have kids, you might indulge them with their favorite tale. Otherwise, choose something light and uplifting, staying away from heavy topics like the news that could trigger panic before bed. Even page-turners are best left for weekends, although re-reading a favorite book may soothe you. 

2. Wake Up At Roughly the Same Time Every Day

Aligning your body clock with the actual hours of the day can do more than you might think. It’s a great way to train yourself how to fall asleep fast. Even on the weekends, trying to wake up at approximately the same time every day can get your body used to a routine and improve your REM cycles. 

You don’t have to set an alarm on Saturday, but resist the urge to sleep past noon. Doing so makes it more likely that you’ll stay up until all hours that night, further disrupting your schedule. You can somewhat compensate for a sleep debt by staying in bed a little longer and taking naps throughout the day. While it doesn’t fully restore your cognitive power, it reduces your disease risk if you are sleep-deprived during the work week. 

3. No Caffeine Before Bed

Although the timing itself depends on when you tend to go to sleep, the general rule of thumb is to avoid caffeine at least six hours before you head to bed. Even if you don’t feel the buzz by then, it can still linger in your system and keep you up.

Another idea is to try the 10, 3, 2, 1 sleep rule. The numbers refer to activities you stop doing for the specified hours before bed. Ten hours before sleep, have your last caffeine-containing beverage — which means no tea, coffee or cola past 2 p.m. if you keep a 10 p.m. bedtime. 

The right beverage can help you sleep. Try a caffeine-free cup of lavender and chamomile herbal tea topped with a bit of golden milk. The chamomile and lavender encourage sleep, while the golden milk eases inflammation that can cause aches that keep you awake.

4. No Screens Before Bed

Much like caffeine, blue light from screens can actually keep you awake, even if you’re trying to head to bed. Try unplugging and putting the screens down before bed, and you might notice an improvement in sleep.

According to the 10, 3, 2, 1 sleep rule, you should quit screens at least an hour before slumber. However, some people need more time to transition. If you fall into this category, try putting your phone down and ceasing work before your last meal of the day — about three hours before bedtime. 

Doing so might feel extra at first. However, giving yourself the wind-down time you need, perhaps filling it with family, friends, and relaxation, is far better than tossing and turning. Filling the last hours of your day with goodness beats the pants off spending half the night counting sheep. 

5. Create a Comfortable, Inviting Environment 

If you want to know how to get better REM sleep, reserve your bedroom for sleep and sex as much as possible. Furthermore, creating a welcoming, comforting environment can make a huge difference in your overall sleep quality. 

Use pillows, especially if you struggle to get comfortable. You can position them along your sides, under your knees, whatever helps you ease minor aches. Try a little aromatherapy, too. A spritz of lavender on your pillow encourages slumber. Dim the lights. If you’re a shift worker who must sleep during the day, use blackout curtains, doubling them if necessary, to create a dark, cozy cave. 

6. Cool Down

You may already know this, but it’s actually easier to get to sleep in a colder environment, and this is actually backed by science. Although everyone is different, setting your thermostat around 65° Fahrenheit tends to be the sweet spot for dozing off.

If you’re someone who can’t sleep without a fan, indulge your urge. You can even pack a small, USB version in your suitcase when traveling to encourage deeper rest in your hotel room. 

Getting Better Sleep is Easy

There are so many ways that you can improve your relationship with rest — from cutting caffeine to meditating before you turn in for the night. No matter which method you choose, you can always figure out a system that works for you, and that will help you snooze the night away!