How to Get Better Sleep Tonight – A Checklist

6 Easy and Quick Steps to Get Quality Sleep

Think you’re ready for bed? Let’s make sure you are. Go through our simple and quick checklist to be certain you are ready for a full and restful night of quality sleep!

1. Tired?

This may sound simple and unnecessary, but don’t go to bed until you are actually tired. Tired enough to quickly fall asleep. If you are concerned about getting to sleep at the same time every night, but still aren’t tried, read another chapter of your book or write down your to do or grocery list for tomorrow – just don’t do it lying in bed. It is better to stay up a little longer until you feel tired enough to fall asleep than to go to bed and lie there unable to fall asleep in bed. If you go to bed when you aren’t tired, then you are likely to lay there longer unable to sleep, while your mind races.

2. Comfortable Bed and Pillow?

Make sure your bed and pillows are comfortable. You want to fall into comfort and serenity to help you drift into sleep. Not fall on a hard, lumpy, uncomfortable mattress that keeps you awake from the pain it inflicts on your body.

3. Cool Dark Room?

Is your room prepped for sleep like you are? Make sure your room is nice and cool. Turn on a fan and close the door a half hour before you are ready to go in and fall asleep. Also, make sure you don’t have too much light leaking into the room that will keep you awake.

4. Quiet, Fan, or White Noise Machine?

Don’t underestimate noise. Noises can keep you up all night, from street traffic to the neighbor’s dog that won’t stop barking. Lack of noise can have the same effect, causing you to focus on the eerie silence instead of falling asleep. Try a fan or white noise machine if you find noise or the lack of keeping you awake. A fan both cools and gives a little undisruptive sound to help fall asleep. If you don’t have either but have a smartphone, you can download a variety of white noise apps or other sleep aid apps.

5. One Hour Blue Light Free?

Try to shut down electronic use an hour before you go to sleep. If you can’t handle an hour, then start with fifteen minutes and work your way up. Turn off the TV and put away your phone. Spend your time with a good book, finishing up that quick chore you’ve been putting off, or write down your plan for tomorrow. This is more constructive for your sleep than you may realize – it helps to put your mind at rest instead of racing thinking about what you didn’t get done today and have to do tomorrow.

6. Turned Off or Silenced Your Phone?

It seems everyone has a phone today and they can be a huge distraction and disturbance while you sleep. The beeping, dinging, and ringing can quickly put an end to a potentially perfect night of sleep. Be sure to turn them off or silence them to make sure you aren’t awakened during the night or tempted to stay up scrolling through social media, sending one last email, or prolonging a text conversation when you should be sleeping.

Ready, Set, Sleep!

Were you able to check everything off? If so you are prepped and ready to enjoy a wonderful night of sleep, the kind of sleep you deserve. If you only can check off some of the items from our checklist, then make the necessary adjustments to your bedtime ritual as soon as you can. Before you know it, you’ll be checking off everything on this list and enjoying night after night of restful sleep!