The quality and quantity of sleep you get can have a huge impact on your overall health. While this may not be a big deal for those who are getting their full 8 hours every night, for those that struggle to get enough sleep, or who have a sleep schedule that doesn’t suit them, it could make feeling their best difficult. The good news is, though, that just because you don’t have the best sleep schedule, doesn’t mean that you’re stuck with it. There can be many simple ways to start getting on a better schedule and improving your sleep today.

Improve Your Diet

One of the best things you can do for yourself when you are trying to get on a better sleep schedule is analyze your diet. Although some may not realize it, what you eat during the day can have a significant impact on how well you’re able to sleep at night. This is because some foods, like those high in sugars and refined carbs can cause your blood sugar to spike and then later crash. When this happens, it can leave you feeling exhausted and disrupt your sleep cycles, even if you are eating these foods early in the day.

To prevent your diet from hurting your sleep, it can be beneficial to cut out junk foods high in carbs and sugars, while simultaneously adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to your meals. If you sometimes struggle with including more healthy foods into your diet, though, it can be helpful to try healthy supplements like thrive experience for example.

Cut Caffeine 

Another thing that can have a huge impact on your ability to sleep at night is caffeine. Because caffeine is a stimulant, drinking it in the morning can be a great way to wake yourself up and get going. However, due to its stimulating properties it can also keep you up at night if you drink it too late in the evening, as well. If you’re looking to regulate your schedule, cutting caffeine, or at least limiting your intake of it to the early hours of the day can be a good way to help you regulate your schedule and fall asleep earlier.

Start Working Out

Exercise can be another effective way to start improving your schedule and your sleep quality, as well. Not only does regular exercise help you burn off excess energy that could keep you up at night, but it can also help regulate many hormones that are related to sleep. Beyond that, the more that you work out around the same time of day, the more that your body becomes adjusted to a schedule. To get the most out of your exercise routine, it is ideal to aim for 15 to 20 minutes of activity, at least 5 days a week. Also, it often doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you’re doing, whether it is weight lifting or nature walking, simply staying active will provide you with many health benefits.

Get Rid of Bedroom Distractions

Even though many may like to watch TV before bed because they think it helps them unwind, the reality is that bedroom distractions like a television or a smartphone or tablet can actually keep you up later at night. This is due in part to the fact that these electronic devices emit a blue light that signals to your brain that it is time to wake up. Additionally, when you have these things in your bedroom, you tend to think less of sleep. When you cut out these distractions, you will be more likely to think of your room as a place where you rest, and it will be easier for you to get in the right frame of mind to fall asleep when you enter your bedroom.

Skip the Naps

While it may be tempting to nap during the day when you are feeling tired, the reality is that day time naps can actually be highly disruptive to your sleep schedule, and can make it harder for you to fall asleep at night. Not only that, but they can make sticking to a healthy schedule more challenging as well. By cutting out naps, you can help ensure that your body will be producing the right hormones for restfulness at night, and that you will have deeper and more restful sleep, when you do go to bed, as well.

Last Thoughts

Good sleep is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. However, many struggle to get good sleep or stay on a good sleep schedule. The good news is, though, that improving your schedule doesn’t have to be difficult. By doing simple things like eating a better diet, cutting down on caffeine and banishing distractions from your bedroom, you can help get on a schedule that works for you.