How to motivate yourself into a better sleep routine

How to have a better sleep routine

Complete relaxing activities

One way you can motivate yourself to get into a better sleep routine is by doing activities before bedtime that you find relaxing, such as:

• Having a warm bath or shower can help you de-stress and relax before it's time to sleep. It can also reduce the body's core temperature, which can help you fall asleep faster.

• Meditation is a great way to reduce anxiety that could be keeping you awake at night. Sleep meditation also has a number of health benefits, and in some cases it has helped prevent insomnia.

• Reading is known to reduce stress, and reading before bedtime can lead to a better night's sleep and increase the amount of sleep you have. Too much stress can cause muscle tension and an overactive mind that can negatively affect sleep quality.

• Writing in a journal and creating a to-do list can be therapeutic experiences and it helps improve your sleep routine. It does this because bedtime worry is a significant contributor to difficulty falling asleep. Therefore, if you make a plan for these tasks your sleep should improve.

• Using a habit tracker can help you to recognise any habits that can be detrimental to your sleep, and work on fixing them. We’d recommend using the Emma Sleep app to help with this, which you can download on both Android and iPhone. 

• Listening to music can help you unwind and destress before it's time to sleep. Research suggests that playing gentle or calming music has a positive effect on your brain and allows you to drift off easier.

Exercise

Exercise is one of the best things to help you sleep, but harsh workouts should be avoided just before bedtime. 

If you want to exercise before getting into bed, you should try a low or moderate intensity workout. Exercise is an excellent way to boost your #MondayMotivation, as this will motivate your body to enter a resting state, making it easier for you to get into a good sleep routine.

If you find it difficult to begin working out, there are different practices you can do to not only prepare your environment, but also get into an exercise-driven mindset. Here are a few activities and practices you can do to improve your motivation and mindset:

• Habit stacking- this is when you form a new habit on top of previous habits, which then encourages you to remember the new habit. An example would be doing some stretches or exercises while you go to make your breakfast or something you do everyday.

• Preparing your environment- priming the environment is also another key activity, as the environment you workout in can have an effect on your motivation. 

• Implementing intentions- this is when your intentions and goals are put into effect and turn into actions

• Reinforce your space and mind- these can be physical reinforcements, such as exercise equipment, or using things to motivate yourself such as following an exercise video or having someone use words of encouragement 

• Temptation bundling- this is when you combine your desires with the things you need to complete, such as exercising while watching tv. This can help you avoid procrastination. 
  

A type of exercise that can drastically improve sleep is yoga. This is a form of exercise that includes some meditation aspects. It has been shown to reduce sleep problems and relieve stress, which results in a better quality of sleep.

Create a comforting sleeping environment

A unique way you can motivate yourself into a better sleeping routine is by creating a comforting bedroom environment. 

If the environment you sleep in is relaxing and soothing, you will gain more enjoyment from going to sleep and will look forward to this part of your day. This will then lead to a better sleep routine and a better quality of sleep overall. There are a number of ways you can do this, such as:

• Mood lighting - red and amber mood lighting can create a warm and relaxing environment that promotes good sleep. 

• Eliminate noise - if your bedroom is a quiet place, it will allow you to drift off to sleep with no distractions. White noise machines can be effective in eliminating unwanted noise.

• Only use the bedroom for sleep - avoiding your bedroom until it's time to sleep will motivate your brain to sleep at night. Using your bedroom for other things can distract the mind and condition the body to regard the room as a place of activity, not rest.

• Keep the temperature thermally neutral - when we try to sleep in hot temperatures, our bodies fight against it, which makes it difficult to sleep, so keeping your room cool should help you maintain a better sleep routine.

Try natural sleep aids

There are a number of sleep aids you can try to motivate yourself to have a better sleep routine. 

It’s important that you consult your healthcare provider before trying a natural sleeping aid, as they may be able to recommend a better solution. 

Some examples of natural sleeping aids include melatonin, which is a hormone that induces sleepiness. Herbal teas, such as chamomile, can improve sleep quality. 

Also, studies suggest that sleep-inducing scents like lavender that can also be used to calm the body and mind, help with anxiety, positively influence the mood, help with depression and act as a sedative. All of these should make your sleep better overall.