Say Goodbye to Sleepless Nights: 7 Game-Changing Tips You Need to Try

One thing that’s become more clear than anything on my journey to becoming a health coach and working on my own health for years and years, is that sleep is non-negotiable. Yet, it can be so hard to actually get a deep, restorative sleep every night, even if we know how important it is for our overall health and wellbeing.

Over time I've gathered some insights on sleep that might make a difference for you. Remember, these are suggestions based on what’s worked for me and many of my coaching clients. What’s most important is that you find what resonates for you, though. 

1. Keep Your Room Cool

To get a good sleep, make sure your room is cool. Aim for a temperature around 18°C (65°F). It might sound a bit chilly, but it’s actually the sweet spot for helping your body settle into a deep sleep. I know this can be hard in summer without aircon (or any time of year, depending where you live). If possible, open the windows and let some cool air in at night to hopefully cool down the room a bit.

2. Embrace the Dark Side

And by dark, I mean really dark. Light pollution is a huge sleep disruptor. Even that tiny LED light on your phone charger can mess with your sleep hormones. Consider how you might minimize light in your bedroom, whether it's investing in blackout curtains or finding a comfortable sleep mask. Also try to avoid looking at screens or bright light one to two hours before bed (especially blue light). If you can’t avoid it completely, switch your phone and laptop to night mode, which turns the screen more yellow. Every little bit helps.

3. Mindful Caffeine Consumption

I love the taste of a good cup of coffee as much as you do, but I also know I don’t tolerate it well. So most of the time I just don’t drink it or I have decaf if I still want that soothing morning ritual. 

Observe how caffeine affects your “jitteriness” and your sleep, and possibly adjust your last cup to earlier in the day. It’s often recommended to stop having caffeine after 12pm, since it’s got a half life of around 6 hours. So if you have a coffee at 10am, there will still be a quarter of that caffeine left in your body by 10pm.

4. Set a Sleep Schedule (and stick to it)

Consistency is key. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day is important for regulating your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) and can really improve your sleep! It also makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally every day. 

Pro Tip: Get some daylight in your eyes soon after waking up. It helps set your circadian rhythm and balances your hormones by signaling your body that it’s time to be awake. Even better: get daylight throughout the day.

5. Winding Down

Give yourself an hour before bed to wind down. For me, this looks like a shower, brushing my teeth, a bit of light stretching, spending a few minutes journaling about my day, and then reading in bed until I pretty much fall asleep (usually after less than one page haha). Find what relaxes you and make it a nightly ritual.

6. Move Your Body (but not too close to bedtime)

Regular exercise is great for sleep, but timing is crucial. Try to get your workout in earlier in the day. Evening exercise can boost your energy levels right when you’re trying to wind down. If you usually work out in the evening, try to observe how it affects your sleep. 

I used to do Muay Thai in the evening, until I noticed that I would feel wide awake and excited to do things when I was trying to go to sleep. It made it feel impossible to calm down. Shifting exercise to earlier in the day could have a positive impact on getting a good rest for you too.

7. Dinner and Sleep

Heavy meals right before bed can disrupt sleep. I try to finish eating a couple of hours before bedtime, although that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes I also find that I sleep better when I have a small snack before bed, something that keeps my blood sugar levels from dropping at night (protein and healthy fats, e.g. a few nuts or greek/coconut yogurt with some blueberries). 

If you commonly wake up in the early hours of the morning, around 3am, and find it hard to go back to sleep, experiment with having a small protein and healthy fat snack before bed. And try to avoid a carb-heavy dinner (especially acellular (fast-absorbing) carbs).

I hope these strategies are supportive, help you in getting a good night’s sleep, and waking up the next morning refreshed and energized. Remember that every body is different, so explore, find what works for you, and adapt it to fit your lifestyle. 

I’d love to hear what works for you or any adjustments you've found helpful. Also: which one of the tips above do you need to work on that could make a big difference? For me, it’s always 4 (a regular sleep schedule) that I struggle with.