4 Expert Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

leesa mattress, leesa sleep

With so much happening these days, getting a good night's sleep feels can sometimes be more difficult to achieve than ever. But that does not mean sleep is unimportant – in fact, the less sleep we get, the more anxiety-prone and stressed we may feel. Not to mention, sleeping better can help boost immunity as well. To help you get a better night's sleep, we spoke to Dr. Janet Kennedy, a licensed Clinical Psychologist at NYC Sleep Doctor, along with Leesa Mattress.

1. Be Consistent

 

The first step to improving sleep starts in the morning—with a consistent wakeup time. Waking up at roughly the same time every day (even when you don’t have to) sets the body clock and makes it easier to fall asleep at bedtime. When wakeup times vary too much, the body is in a perpetual jetlag and doesn’t know when it’s time to sleep.

2. Make your bedroom a refuge.

 

Try to reserve the bedroom for sleep and avoid work and stressful activities in there if at all possible. The bed and bedroom should feel like a place you can’t wait to get to, a place that represents calm, relaxation and restoration. A high quality mattress is crucial to a good night’s sleep. An old, hot, or unsupportive mattress can cause restlessness and night waking, eroding sleep quality.

3. Protect your wind-down time.

 

Before going to sleep, we need an off-ramp from the business and stress of the day. We are spending more time on screens, bingeing on news and social media as the world becomes evermore stressful. That’s over-stimulating (not to mention anxiety-inducing) and the brain and body need time to slow down before transitioning to sleep. Set a time to turn off your phone—at least one hour before bed.

4. Don’t try to sleep.

 

Sleep does not like to be pursued. The harder you try, the more it eludes you. Try instead to do something to occupy your mind away from your day, stress, and tasks until sleep is ready to come to you. Reading fiction until you can’t stay awake is a good solution, but you can also try listening to music or (non-topical) podcasts, coloring, doing crosswords, or journaling.

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