7 Simple Ways to Improve Your Sleep
Deanna hadn’t slept in months. She’d walk around like a zombie all day, too exhausted to do anything but the bare minimum.
Problems at work felt insurmountable- the sleep deprivation was making all the other stresses of her life feel impossible, and her health was suffering for it.
While some people love to brag “I did it all on 4 hours of sleep!” - that was not Deanna. Sleep was a top priority for her. She was tired, she wanted more, and she didn’t need to be convinced it was important.
Deanna was at breaking point and, like so many women struggling with burnout and the insomnia that accompanies it, she just didn’t know how to fix it. The potential solutions were overwhelming, and she was too tired to figure out which steps to take first.
I’ll cut to the chase: Deanna was my client, and in a few weeks of us working together, she was sleeping the whole night thru. Getting those 8 hours of sleep had an ENORMOUS impact on her energy, her emotional well-being, and her ability to respond to increased pressures at work.
In a word: GAMECHANGER.
And that's the reason behind this blog post. You’re about to learn the steps you must take to finally get some good quality sleep.
NOT prescription sleep aids or melatonin. Not an evening glass of wine. Not even an adaptogenic herbal tea.
—> What you’ll learn below is what is tested, straightforward, and TRULY WORKS.
But before we get into it…
if you’ve been dealing with insomnia and work-related stress, you’ll definitely want to grab a free copy of my Burnout Freedom Roadmap.
It includes a self-assessment tool to help you identify your stage of burnout, and your best action steps to start turning things around.
Got it? Great. Now let’s get you some sleep,
7 Simple Ways to Get More (and Better) Sleep
I’ve got 7 strategies to share with you. But first I have 3 rules for better sleep, that’ll help you figure out what your plan of action needs to be.
My first rule for better sleep: focus on what you can control or influence, even if it seems small.
Truth is, there are factors that impact your sleep that you can’t do much about. For example, your age, hormone changes due to (peri)menopause, or the stresses of being a new parent. Let go of what’s out of your control, and focus on what you can do- especially the ideas below.
My second rule: you don’t have to do all these things, or do them all at once.
When working with a new client in THRIVE, we’ll usually review what’s she’s already doing that’s moving her in the right direction, look at the current context of her life, and from there assess which action steps make the most sense. Then we’ll build on that week after week, depending on how things are going. You can do the same!
My third rule: when assessing how to improve your sleep, don’t just focus on your bedtime routine. Yes, the hour or two before bed is critical. But so is the rest of your day, starting when you open your eyes.
Sound good? Good. Now, let’s review the 7 strategies:
#1 RESET YOUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM WITH MORNING SUNSHINE
Improving your sleep starts the moment you wake up in the morning. As soon as you can, get outside for 15 minutes. That could be for a quick walk or you could just sit outside with your morning beverage, like my client Deanna did (and btw, it worked for her).
The UV rays, even on cloudy days, will send a message to your brain that it’s time to be awake, and they’ll set your internal body clock so that 14-16 hours later you’ll naturally start to feel tired and ready for bed.
What you’re doing is resetting your circadian rhythm.
This is the number one thing you can do to improve your sleep! You may not feel the difference immediately, but in a few days, your energy should be better and you should feel sleepier at night. Please don’t skip this step!
#2 MOVE DAILY
One of the main factors that impacts your ability to sleep well is how much energy you’ve exerted during the day. That means you need to get some exercise! You could take a walk, go to the gym, go for a fun bike ride, or anything in between. It doesn’t have to be crazy or intense. You just need to move your body. Every day.
Quick tip: if you’re stretched for time, look for ways to sneak movement into your day. Take your phone meeting on a walk. Park further away from the office so you need to more. Get a standing desk. Start brainstorming!
#3 WATCH YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE
I know you don’t want to hear this one! You love your morning cup of joe, your mid-afternoon lattes. Maybe you’re even drinking coffee at night and then falling fast asleep (only to wake a few hours later). The thing is, if you’re having problems sleeping, and you want to sleep better, then cutting caffeine consumption needs to be on your to-do list.
Even if you don’t think that caffeine could be causing your sleep problems, the truth is that a substance that artificially speeds you up or slows you down will have some kind of impact on your hormones and your sleep. And you’ll never know whether caffeine is affecting you until you cut down, or possibly eliminate it all together.
But before you try to strangle me, listen: this doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing kind of thing! You’re probably using caffeine to cope with fatigue and overwhelm, and I don’t want to take that away if we have nothing to replace it with. So let’s tread lightly.
If you’re drinking a lot of caffeine- whether in the form of Red Bulls, coffee, or soda- cut down gradually. A good place to start is by eliminating caffeine after 12pm. Give it a week and see what happens. If you’re still wired at night, cut down more.
#4 STICK TO A CONSISTENT BEDTIME AND WAKE TIME
Your body likes to be in a rhythm, and it especially likes to be in rhythm with nature- a circadian rhythm (as I mentioned above). So first, choose a bedtime and a wake time and stick to those times as much as possible. And second, try to match your bedtime and wake time as closely as possible to sunrise and sunset. This can be difficult depending on the time of year, where you live, or what your work schedule is like, of course. But the closer you can get to that rhythm, the better your sleep will be- and the better you will feel throughout the day!
And while you’re figuring out your bedtime and wake time, keep in mind: you need 7-9 hours of sleep. Some people need less, some more. You have to figure out your sweet spot.
And whatever that is, tack on at least 30 minutes. That’s roughly how long it takes most people (those not struggling with insomnia) to fall asleep once they’re laying down in bed with the lights off.
*So for example, if you want 8 hours of sleep, and you need to get up at 6am, then you should be in bed with the lights out at 9:30pm.
#5 CREATE A PEACEFUL SLEEP ENVIRONMENT
This is also called sleep hygiene. The goal is to make your bedroom a place for sleeping, intimacy, and virtually nothing else. A peaceful place where you can relax, and where there’s nothing reminding you of work or other stresses of life.
Here’s a few ways to create this environment:
Keep the temperature at around 68F. This is considered the optimal temperature for sleep- of course, your body may prefer something different. You can experiment to find what’s most comfortable.
Cultivate darkness- blackout curtains worked great for my client, Deanna. But you could also try a sleep mask. Do whatever is easiest.
Quiet outside sounds- if you can’t eliminate sounds, create white noise. In the summer, a fan or air conditioner works. But you can also try earplugs or a ‘white noise’ machine.
Remove all electronics- move your TV to the living room, and keep your phone out of the bedroom. Buy an alarm clock if you need to. If you feel you need a phone for emergencies, get a landline. And most important- do NOT open your laptop in bed.
Update your mattress and linens. If you’re uncomfortable in bed, using a mattress or pillow or sheets that are too hot, or hurt your back or neck, it’s going to harm your sleep.
Clean up clutter- put clothes away, make your bed every day.
Turn your bedroom into an oasis. Paint the walls a soothing color. Add plants and your favorite photos. Create an atmosphere that invokes calm.
#6 PUT A RELAXING BEDTIME ROUTINE IN PLACE
Ever get home from work, eat a big meal, and then try to go straight to bed? Usually doesn’t work so well, huh?
That’s because your body and brain need to wind down from the day- and with a good bedtime routine, you can make it easier for them to do that so you can fall asleep when your head hits the pillow!
Here’s a few things to consider as you plan your bedtime routine:
Limit screens for at least 1 hour before bed.This can feel challenging but will have a huge impact. Screens prevent you from truly relaxing. You may feel like you’re resting when you’re scrolling or watching Netflix on your phone in bed, but your eyes and brain are wide awake. The blue light that screens give off suppresses melatonin and tricks your body into thinking it’s daytime.
Stop eating and drinking 3 hours before bedtime. A stomach full of barely digested food can keep you awake. And drinking - even water - too close to bedtime can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night, possibly multiple times. My client Deanna’s 3am wake-ups didn’t stop until she stopped drinking water past 7pm.
Do something to help your mind relax- this could be reading a book (an actual book, not your Kindle), journaling, playing a (non-electronic) game with family, or doing an evening meditation.
Help your body relax in the evening hours, too. For example, a slow walk around the neighborhood after dinner, a hot shower or soothing bath with epsom salts, or gentle stretching.
#7 CALM YOUR MONKEY MIND
I saved this tip for last because for many women, it’s the most important (even if the most challenging).
You could be doing all the right things, have a picture perfect bedtime routine, but when you lay down in bed, your mind is racing. You’re replaying stressful moments from your day, and imagining worst-case scenarios of what might happen tomorrow. And you can’t turn your brain off!
Sound familiar?
—> Bottom line, if you’re under a lot of stress, there may be a limit to how much any of the strategies I’ve suggested can do. You probably have some bigger changes to make in how you’re approaching your work and your relationships. And you likely need to learn to regulate your nervous system.
But I know want solutions right now! So here’s two ideas that can help shut off your mind:
Write it out. Keep a journal and pen at your bedside and write down everything you’re worried or thinking about. Getting it all down on paper can help you stop thinking about it.
Try 4-7-8 breathing. This is a simple breathwork practice that helps you to focus on your breath and shift your nervous system into the parasympathetic state, allowing you to relax. I created a video tutorial on this breathing practice- you can access it HERE.
But what if I can fall asleep fine, but then I wake up at 3am and can’t sleep anymore?
If you’re facing the dreaded 3am wakeups, I feel for you. This used to happen to me every night, and is a common complaint among many of the women I coach. Whether it’s 2am, 3am, or 4am, it’s no fun. Especially if you’re then lying there for 2-3 hours, grabbing a final 30 minutes of sleep before your alarm goes off.
How do you fix this?
First, everything you see above, especially the morning sunlight and cutting caffeine, will help. Plus, if you wake at 3am and need to go to the bathroom, then make sure you’re cutting yourself off from all food and drink 3 hours before bedtime.
Second, dealing effectively with stress will be CRITICAL for you.
The 3am wakeup is usually a result of hormone imbalances resulting from chronic stress. The most common culprit? Cortisol.
Cortisol is released when you’re under stress. It’s also important for giving you energy. Normally, it’s high in the morning to help you wake up and start your day, and gradually goes down till it’s lowest at bedtime. If you’re under constant stress, your normal cortisol rhythm can get thrown off, leading cortisol to spike in the middle of the night and wake you up.
Note- for some women, the spike happens earlier, in the evening, and is the main cause of bedtime insomnia. Either way, the phenomenon is ofter called “tired and wired”.
The solution is to both mitigate major stressors and shift how you respond to stress. Yes, I know, easier said than done. This is the heart of the work I do with my THRIVE clients…
READY FOR BETTER SLEEP AND LIMITLESS ENERGY?
Then you’re a good candidate for THRIVE.
THRIVE is my 1-1 burnout recovery coaching program, designed to help high-achieving, professional women reignite their energy, establish work-life balance that feels good, and finally get some peace of mind… without ditching their career or turning their life upside down.
In THRIVE, we cut stress and boost energy from every available angle. And to that end, one of the first things we do is help you get a decent night’s sleep every night- since without it, everything feels impossible.
If that sounds enticing, then click on over to learn more:
Or, if you already know you’re ready to take action, just book in a free Burnout Breakthrough Assessment with me. When we talk (over Zoom), I’ll help you pinpoint the root causes of your burnout (and sleep issues), clarify your goals, and figure out your best next steps.
