5 Tips to Help Improve Your Sleep

by Leslie Bumpas

Think back to the last time you slept deeply through the whole night.

How far back did you have to go? If you find yourself wishing you could sleep like you did when you were a teenager, I want you to know that you can! Too often we accept that a good night’s sleep is a thing of the past and can’t be achieved in the “older” years of our lives.

I’ve had it with that! You don’t have to buy-in to the lie that just because you are in your 60s or 70s, your quality of life has to diminish.

I am 66 years old and I sleep the best that I have in years! How do I do it? Well, I have multiple strategies that you can start practicing today that will have you hitting the pillow with ease and keep you sleeping deeply until the morning.

1) Get a good routine in place!

I can’t tell you how many times I talk to women looking for a quick fix for their sleep struggles, but they don’t have a routine in place. Having a good routine is a crucial part of addressing the root causes of poor sleep. One of my favorite parts of my routine is taking a hot epsom salt bath before bed to eliminate toxins, ease stress, and reduce inflammation. You can even throw some essential oils in there! I also make sure to have a cold, dark room when I sleep and avoid eating too close to bedtime. Your body needs to know you’re approaching bedtime to prepare effectively. Get yourself a routine and stick to it, sister!

2) Crawl in bed before 10 p.m and get 7-9 hours of sleep.

We have a tendency to treat sleep like a luxury, but the reality is we need sleep to recharge and repair our bodies. Researchers have found that the best time to go to sleep is between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m, which actually is connected to heart health. Getting a solid 7 to 9 hours of shuteye each night is one of the simplest ways you can keep your body healthy and your mind sharp! While you slumber, your body is busy rebuilding, healing, and detoxifying cells.

Pay attention to your body and how it functions when you get 7 hours versus closer to 9 hours. Use that to determine what works best for your body. Now, there are circumstances that may prevent you from getting a consecutive 7 hours of sleep, like the days when you had little ones that didn’t sleep through the night. But now that those days are over, it’s important that you protect and prioritize your sleep!

3) Use your circadian rhythm to your advantage.

When we look at our phones before bed, we are hacking our body’s natural rhythm and sending signals that it should be awake rather than asleep. Make sure you cut out blue light (aka screentime at night) and catch some of the sun’s rays as soon as you wake up.

Your circadian rhythm is a physical, mental, and behavioral process that follows a 24-hour cycle. When this is disrupted or triggered at the wrong time, it can make us sleepy during the day or restless at night. When our feet first hit the floor in the morning, seeing those rays of sunlight wakes us up and triggers the process for our body to start the day. At night, darkness triggers the process to wind down and drift off to sleep.

4) Consider using quality supplements to support your sleep.

There are some lovely herbal-based supplements you can use to help support your sleep habits. But I want to be clear that you should first establish a good sleep routine. Sleep aids shouldn’t be used if you haven’t taken the time to address the root causes of sleeplessness.

If you have already taken the time to look into those root causes, I have a variety of supplements I suggest that contain a combination of passionflower, valerian, lemon balm, L-Theanine, GABA, and magnesium. You can find all of these in my FullScript dispensary.

5) Get your body moving!

Movement and sleep are closely related. When our bodies remain stagnant during the day, our bodies have tons of leftover energy that prevents us from feeling tired. It is often recommended to try to avoid exercise within three hours of your bedtime (though all of us are different and that’s okay!), but it’s important to take the time to build a regular habit of exercise so that your body is ready to hit the pillow. Plus, movement helps strengthen our bones and muscles, and improve our balance, so it’s really important all around!

—

By creating healthy habits and routines in your day that promote good sleep, anyone at any age can get the best sleep of their life and experience a life full of vitality. I want you to know that it IS possible to age with confidence, strength, and grace when you listen to what your body needs and intentionally care for your health!

Looking to dig deeper into your health? Let’s connect on Instagram and Facebook, and I’d love to connect with you! Or, join my supportive online Facebook community, The Whole Healthy Woman for tips, recipes, and regular lives with Leslie!