My sleep issues were getting worse
I couple of weeks ago, I shared my personal experience with sleep. I explained how for most of my life I have been dealing with sleep issues and the nights I would get proper quality sleep were few and far between.
It wasn’t until a year ago when I realised that despite eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and meditating daily to manage my stress levels…, my energy levels were tanking, my mood was getting worse, my motivation was at rock bottom and my libido was non-existent.
A great realization that put me on a quest to fix my sleep
This was a great realization that put me on a quest to fix my sleep and for the last year, I have been incorporating strategies to improve my sleep quality into my lifestyle.
Although far from perfect, my sleep quality has massively improved, and while the strategies that would work for you may not be the same that the ones that have worked for me, I wanted to share the 7 things that have made the biggest impact on my sleep quality.
7 things that have make the biggest impact on sleep quality
1. I time my exposure to sunlight and darkness.
I try to get sunlight within 30 minutes of waking up. When it is dark, I turn on overhead lights and then get sun exposure as soon as the sun is out.
When timed correctly, sunlight and darkness will do wonders for your sleep quality and energy levels.
2. I follow a consistent schedule.
I wake up and go to bed at the same time +/- 1 hours every day, even at weekends
3. I create time and space for relaxation daily.
Going to bed with accumulated stress and an active mind was one of the biggest issues I have been battling when optimizing my sleep.
Personally, 10 to 15 minutes of stretching within 1 hour of going to bed and a short meditation practice has done wonders to calm my body and mind.
It’s amazing what creating time and space for relaxation daily can do for your sleep quality. If everyone simply did this more, I’d be willing to bet that most of your sleep struggles would fade away.
4. I pay attention to my body.
You can only ignore your needs for so long before your body forces you to give it what it wants
5. I eat my last meal at least 2-3 hours before going to bed.
I eat my last meal at least 2-3 hours before going to bed – except on special occasions-.
Meal timing absolutely matters.
6. I have learned to work WITH my body.
The more I have learned how to work with my body, the more highly consistent my sleep quality has been. It has also made achieving my health and fitness goals so much easier.
7. I follow my natural sleep-wake pattern.
There’s a reason why we all have a natural preference to a sleep-wake pattern.
It’s best to align to that preference as much as you possibly can.
It influences EVERYTHING about you. I can’t overstate this one enough.
I am definitely a morning person, the first part of the day is when I have more energy and focus so I get up at 5 am every day of the week to make sure that I take advantage of my chronotype and have the time to exercise and dedicate at least one hour to learning before work.
Most problems with sleep have little to do with sleep itself
In my experience, most problems with sleep have little to do with sleep itself but rather with what’s happening in your life. Sleep is responsive to the actions you take each day, changing even one action you take can completely shift how well you are sleeping.
I have accepted that my sleep quality will never be perfect, and I don’t beat myself up by oversleeping a little less, taking longer to fall asleep, or the occasional night wakings. I have learned that putting emotions into it only overcomplicates things.
Recommended reading
Recommended reading
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Feeling in control of your health
If you are interested in improving your health and wellness, check out other resources such as Our Blog, Free Resources and/or join our private Body-Mind Transformation Secrets Community on Facebook, and The 360 Transformation Blueprint Podcast on Spotify and go on an even deeper dive with me to uncover how to succeed in your health and wellness goals.
You may also be interested in our Sleep Secrets Cheat Sheet. It is a great resource with strategies to fix and optimize your sleep which is crucial to succeeding in your health and wellness goals.
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