Skip to main content

8 Top Tips So You Can Get Better Sleep Every Night

By now, you’re well aware of the importance of sleep. It sits high atop a physiological throne, commanding just about everything. If you don’t get enough of it, there’s a serious trickle-down effect. Suddenly, you’re not thinking straight, you’re lacking energy, and your biological clock is off — you’re not you. And that’s not fair to your health and the health of those around you.

Alarmingly, the CDC estimates that one out of three adults is lacking significantly in the sleep department. Worse, that figure was dropped before the pandemic, back in 2016. Surely, that percentage has only risen. We’ve found creative ways to cope with the new normal, but what we really need are lasting patterns that will ensure a good night’s sleep. Try some or all of the suggestions below as you pursue your worthy quest of catching more z’s.

Upgrade Your Mattress

A man shops for a new mattress.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You know the drill — you spend a third of your life in bed. So why not make it comfortable? Upgrading your mattress can make waves when it comes to upping your sleep hours. Test the thing out before you buy it and take into account contextual elements (are you a side-sleeper?) to make the right decision. The average mattress lasts seven to ten years, but that figure is quite general. If it’s not giving you the support and comfort you need, it doesn’t matter how old the thing is, it simply needs to go. While you’re at it, make sure you have some quality pillows and a good, heavy comforter, too. The details add up.

Form a Routine

A man reads a book at home.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You may be a fully grown person, but a lot of the qualities that apply to kiddos winding down at night apply to you, too. Your body needs signs that it’s time for sleep, above and beyond the fact that it’s dark outside. (We’re practically evolving past that anyway by constantly surrounding ourselves with screens and other artificial light.) The routine can be simple: Follow through with it so your body gets used to it and associates it with sleep.

For example, position a bath or shower at a certain time every night before bed. You can also schedule a consistent time when you read or engage in a therapeutic hobby like yoga, or simply going for an evening walk. Make whatever that task is — whether it’s working on an adult lego set, drawing in a sketchbook, or journaling — a consistent, long-term fixture in your evening routine.

Have a Wind-Down Beverage

A woman drinks tea in bed.
Photo by Greek Food Ta Mystika, licensed under Creative Commons, and made available by Pixnio Image used with permission by copyright holder

Tea can help you sleep, and there are many tried-and-true and caffeine-free options created for the sole purpose of improved sleep. While overdoing it in the alcohol department is the wrong direction to go, a minimal amount of imbibing can be helpful. Try a nightcap before you retire, or even something as simple as warm milk or broth. Just don’t overdo it with any liquid, or else you’ll be in the bathroom instead of in your bed. If you’re full — which is better than the opposite, nobody should be going to bed hungry — try a sip of a digestif like Grappa or amaro. There are zero-proof versions of these, too, if that’s preferred.

Try CBD

A CBD tincture with an oil dropper.
Photo by Elsa Olofsson, licensed under Creative Commons, and made available by Flickr and Wikimedia Elsa Olofsson / Unsplash

The jury is still mostly out when it comes to the effectiveness of CBD, but signs seem to point to the stuff being helpful. There are more options than ever to test it out, from tinctures and CBD gummies to ciders and snacks. For many, it offers a calming effect without the heady drifting THC tends to inspire. If you’re sensitive to new substances, try a very low dose to begin with, then micro-dose your way up until you get the desired state. If CBD isn’t for you, go the supplement route and try something like melatonin.

Limit Screen Time

A smartphone and a tablet lie on a bed.
Photo provided by PxHere Image used with permission by copyright holder

We are on our devices all the time, and that’s not great for circadian rhythms. Maintain your bedroom as a fortress of peaceful solitude; that is, kick out your phone or TV, or significantly limit the amounts while in that domain. It’s all too tempting to scroll through your phone while lying in bed, but sleep experts tend to discourage such a thing. Set a limit, and prepare to banish the devices out of sight and mind if necessary, at least during the lead-up to bedtime. A great alternative as you enter the evening is to simply go outside. Throw a headlamp on and go for a stroll in the woods near your place. Even 10 minutes on your stoop to breathe the crisp night air and gaze at the stars may be enough.

Exercise

Echelon EX3 Smart Connect Fitness Bike with a male rider in a home setting.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s no denying it; you sleep better and harder when you’re physically taxed. Exercise can pave the way, whether you’re a gym rat or just throwing together a workout at home. Be flexible here, as exercise can come in all shapes and sizes. Cardiovascular exercises like jogging, biking, swimming, and more are particularly good at tiring the body out. Just remember to stay hydrated and know that for some, working out just before bed can leave you amped and energized. If that’s the case for you, get your exercise in earlier in the day.

Consider Light Therapy

A young man works in his office with a light therapy lamp.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Light therapy can be a valid option, especially for those thrown off by so much time in front of artificial light – looking at you, work-from-home laptop junkies — or in northern zones where it’s perpetually gray in fall and winter. Your body needs cyclical light, even if it’s synthetic. Light therapy provides that and there are a range of tutorials online available, including demonstrations of specific lamps that can aid in the winter blues. Also, keep in mind that vitamin D is directly associated with light exposure and energy levels, so you may want to try a supplement or add a new vitamin-charged meal or drink to your daily diet.

Relax

A woman lies in bed.
Photo provided by Piqsels Image used with permission by copyright holder

This may sound absurd to some, but it’s actually important to focus on relaxing. One of the best pieces of advice is borrowed from a military exercise that apparently encourages troops to sleep better. It’s a simple but often-overlooked thing: Don’t lock your jaw. If you’re often stressed, anxious, or nervous, there’s a good chance you’re clenching your jaw as you close your eyes for the evening. Be cognizant of it, and release. It’s a small action that can have profound results.

While we’re on the topic of relaxation, find a respiratory rhythm. You can breathe in time to some atmospheric music, or simply set a tempo yourself — five seconds in, four seconds out, that sort of thing. Go with deep and steady breaths. If the sound of your own breathing bothers you, set up some white noise.

Editors' Recommendations

Mark Stock
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
From Gilda Radner to Ali Wong, these are the best female comedians of all time
These women from all generations will make you laugh out loud
Ai Wong comedian 2017 Moontower comedy festival

Hot take: I don’t care for straight male comedians. It’s not that they’re not funny, they’re just … I don’t know, boring? Maybe that’s reductive of me, but I never seem to leave a straight male comedian’s set feeling particularly inspired. And though some may argue that it’s not important for a set to "inspire" its audience, I’d actually argue that the opposite is true. For me, I want to see a comedian use humor to address real issues and say real things about the world, even if they do it in a completely goofy way.

Therefore, I tend to prefer female and female-identified comedians. They’re sharp, tough, and have often seen shit that makes their comedy feel raw and true. Undoubtedly there are male comedians who do this, too, but to a much lesser degree, in my very humble and very personal opinion.

Read more
12 classic sci-fi books everyone should read
If you love science fiction and reading, these classic sci-fi novels are a must
Man reading a book and drinking coffee

It may feel like we were recently living in a science-fiction dystopia life -- and in some ways, we were -- but that doesn't mean that we should simply avoid an entire genre of writing. Hardly. In fact, this is probably the perfect time to explore classic sci-fi books, to see what the masters have written, and maybe even see if someone predicted anything like this. Many, though, simply ignore sci-fi wholly and completely because of an association with robots, aliens, and the like.

Long story short, if you think you don't like sci-fi, you have never read great books from the genre. But indeed, many such books abound, including a number that has delighted generations of readers going back well over 150 years. In fact, one of the best things about so many sci-fi books is their very timelessness. As by definition, this type of fiction breaks away from the norms of the everyday world -- whether slightly twisting things or taking place on entire other worlds -- the stories often feel as fresh and relevant today as when they were published decades ago.

Read more
The 7 best classic fantasy books to get lost in
Even adults can enjoy entering the fantasy world
Man reading a book

Using the term "fantasy" when it comes to fiction, we are admittedly casting a pretty wide net. After all, think about just how many shows and movies could technically be considered fantasy, too. If. we're talking about classic, canonical fantasy, though, the net shrinks considerably. If a book is to stand the test of time to be considered a classic -- regardless of genre -- it has to be damn good. At the risk of offending plenty of authors and fantasy fans both of yesteryear and today, most fantasy writing ... how should I put this? In a few decades, it won't be on some future writer's list of fantasy classics.

I say all that as an absolute fan of fantasy writing. From the Game of Thrones books, our era's Lord of the Rings, to the novels of Neil Gaiman, to the Twilight series (except not that), there is a plethora of great fantasy writing being produced today. But if you're looking to get into the genre or are already an aficionado with a few gaps in your reading list, classic fantasy novels are always a fine choice, as are classic mysteries, classic adventure books, and on it goes across every genre of literature.

Read more