4 tips for a better night's rest

Sleep is so important for our everyday function. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that some of the best benefits of getting enough sleep is:

Get sick less often.
Stay at a healthy weight.
Lower your risk for serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease.
Reduce stress and improve your mood.
Think more clearly and do better in school and/or at work.
Get along better with people.

But what’s even considered “enough” ? Well, again, according to The U.S. Department Health and Human Services says it is recommended that most adults get 7 or more hours of good-quality sleep on a regular schedule each night. But, getting enough sleep isn’t only about total hours slept. It’s also important to get good quality sleep on a regular schedule so you feel rested when you wake up. We’re here to help you obtain that ~good, quality sleep~ through methods that have worked for us. Here we go!

Charge your phone across the room when you sleep—In a perfect world, I would put my phone away at least one hour before bed every night. But that’s unrealistic because life happens and that’s ok! It’s beneficial to stop looking at blue light screens 2-3 hours before bed if you’re able to do so, but if that’s too hard, try 30 minutes to start. I recommend charging your phone across the room so it’s not next to your bed/on your nightstand. This helps you refrain from mindless scrolling (because we all know that can happen) before bed or when you first wake up. I know you’ve been there too—you get to bed nice and early and after you’ve set your alarm, but out of habit you open up instagram or tiktok and end up scrolling for 30 minutes. To avoid this, charging your phone across the room can really help fix this habit. Another plus about charging your phone across the room? If you use your phone as an alarm clock, it forces you to get out of bed instead of hitting snooze 12 times. I don’t know about you, but when I get up right away versus hitting snooze 2 or 3 times, I notice a huge difference in my energy level throughout the day.
Read before bed—I bought my Kindle last year during Amazon Prime Day because #sale and it has been one of my greatest investments. I initially bought it because I was constantly having to bring 2-3 books with me when I traveled and the space that took up would get a little frustrating. And now that I have my kindle, I genuinely use it every day. I habitually read on my Kindle before bed which has been incredible for me because there’s no overhead light to turn off. You can adjust the Kindle light to however bright or dim you’d like it. Bonus factor is that the kindle will turn off on its own if I fall asleep reading. I highly recommend using the app Libby to get all your books! Not sure what Libby is? All you need is your library card (super easy to get one if you don’t have one already!) and you have access to all of your library’s digital downloads. It works the same way as it would with a physical copy of a book from your library—you place the book you want on hold, they’ll notify you when it’s available and you’re able to download it straight to your Kindle. Truly a seamless process and has allowed me to read so many more books this year than in years past!
Wear an eye-mask—I used to find eye-masks to be so silly but this was truly a “don’t knock it ‘til you try it” moment for me. I bought one for a costume during my senior year of high school and haven’t looked back since. They really help block out all light—think blackout curtains for your eyes. This tip is also scientifically backed since our brains are hard-wired into associating darkness with sleep, which in turn aids in melatonin production. Eye-masks have a wide range in price, but we think this one looks like a good buy! It’s not too pricey and would be a great introduction to the eye-mask world.
Listen to a sleep meditation—I have tried a number of different sleep meditations, sound machines, and noise-canceling machines but nothing has come close to my experience with the Hatch. I received the Hatch Restore for Christmas last year and it has changed my sleep game entirely. It allows you to create a personalized bedtime routine that works for you. For me, I set the light on a 30 minute timer to give me a set time to read (on my Kindle, of course), which will automatically turn into a sleep meditation titled “Unwind” that is 20 minutes long and, honestly, I am rarely able to listen to it the whole way through. This sleep meditation truly puts me in a zen state of mind. After the sleep meditation is over, rainfall plays until my alarm goes off in the morning. Now, I knew the Hatch alarm clock woke you up with light that is supposed to mimic the sun, and more soothing alarm sounds than those provided on our phones (not hard to beat, let’s be real), but I was not aware of all its offerings towards helping you get to sleep as well. It does require a yearly subscription, but I 100% believe this to be a valuable investment in my life. I am typically someone who has a difficult time falling asleep and for me to fall asleep in less than 20 minutes almost every night is a God send. Bonus points to Hatch because you can play the sleep meditations or sounds on the app from your phone when traveling!