4 Tips for Better Quality Sleep

Ever had one of those days where you’ve been looking forward to crawling in bed for hours and then when you finally get there it’s just constant tossing and turning? Me too! In a world full of so much stress the last thing we want is not being able to wind down at the end of the day. Below, Dr Gepfrey shares 4 tips for better quality sleep.

Limit Screen Time Before Bed

Everyone has probably heard this before but cutting out screens within an hour of bedtime can drastically improve the quality of sleep we get each night.  No matter how we choose to indulge (scrolling or watching a show), screen time before bed stimulates our brains right when we’re trying to wind down. I always suggest turning the screens off an hour before bedtime to tell our minds and our bodies it’s time to decompress.

Decrease Food Consumption at Night

Many people, myself included for many years, saved the biggest meal of the day for dinner. Unless dinner is at 4pm and bedtime is at 10pm, this isn’t the best idea because our body will be spending energy while we sleep working to digest that big meal. Instead, I suggest eating a smaller portioned dinner and, if needed, eating a protein dense snack (spoonful of peanut butter is my favorite!) 30-60 minutes before bed. Don’t worry, we don’t have to eliminate dessert if you have a sweet tooth like I do, simply pair it with a little protein to eliminate a big glucose spike prior to bed (think dark chocolate with Greek yogurt or some fruit with cottage cheese).

Establish a Bedtime Routine

This gets so much attention when we’re younger, but adults typically let it fall by the wayside. Set yourself up for success by implementing a bedtime routine that you can follow 5-7 nights a week (yes, there is wiggle room on the weekends!).  

A bedtime routine can be as simple as:

• going to bed withing 30-60 minutes of the same time every night

• reading for 30 minutes before bed

• nighttime hygiene routine that works for you

• warm shower and your favorite snuggly pjs

It doesn’t have to be complicated; it just needs to be consistent.

Limit Caffeine Consumption

Don’t shoot the messenger! I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to enjoying an afternoon pick me up but the timing of this does matter.  The average half-life (how long it takes for the body to process half the ingredient) of caffeine is 5 hours. This means if you finish consuming a coffee at 3pm, half of that caffeine is still in your system at 8pm, and the full effects of it won’t be gone until hours later. My biggest suggestion here is to limit caffeine intake to before 2pm to allow your body to clear it before trying to go to bed.

Bonus Tip for Better Quality Sleep:

If you frequently find your mind racing through millions of thoughts at night, I have two strategies for you to try:

• Try implementing 5-10 minutes of journaling before bed. Spending the time to write out what’s bothering you can allow your mind to “shut off” when it’s time to sleep. This helps trick your brain into a state of ease once those thoughts are on paper.

• Pick any word you can think of: Ex- FRUIT. Start with the first letter (F) and think of as many words that begin with that letter, they can be related or not as all. When you run out of words, don’t stress, move on to the next letter and continue this pattern as long as you can. Most clients I teach this to only make it to the second or third letter before falling asleep.