9 Tips On How To Reset Your Sleep Schedule
Whether you have irregular sleep patterns, or simply want to get into a healthier sleep routine, adjusting your sleep schedule to a more consistent rhythm can do wonders for you and your quality of sleep.
Your body has something called a circadian rhythm which is our body's 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, or 'internal clock'. Dialing down on forming a proper sleeping schedule will help your mind and body better respond to external cues that are responsible for letting your body know that it's time for bed. A new sleep schedule will also prevent challenges such as sleep apnea and can help battle insomnia.
Below, we provided 9 tips for resetting your sleep schedule so you can calibrate this internal clock for a better night's sleep.
Why Does Your Sleep Schedule Get Off Track?
Studies show that our body clocks, which control our sleep schedules are sensitive to light. For example, if we're exposed to too much sunlight during the day and not enough at night then it might affect how well we can get a good night's rest because circadian rhythms (body clock) rely on natural lighting patterns.
It's very difficult to sleep when we're asking our body to do something it doesn't want. It can happen for a variety of reasons, which range from traveling across time zones or staying up later than usual. Working overnight also throws off your natural sleeping pattern because the clock is telling you one thing but what you are doing tells another story; this will make with difficulty going back and forth between schedules throughout your sleep routine.
People with advanced sleep phase disorder do not have a natural body clock, and instead, their bodies are programmed to become tired early in the evening. This makes it difficult for these people to make friends or meet new ones who work different hours because they will always be asleep at night when most of those social interactions occur.
People living with advanced sleep phase disorder also miss out on important morning daylight that helps set our internal clocks; this means some may need sunglasses while driving during the day as well as nighttime eye shades!
Our 9 Tips For Adjusting Your Sleep Schedule
1. Adjust Your Lighting
A great way to better fix your sleep schedule is to adjust and set up the appropriate light exposure. When our bodies are exposed to light, the brain stops producing melatonin, a natural hormone in our bodies that makes you feel drowsy and sleepy. Low light environments or pure darkness signals your brain to create more of this sleep hormone.
So, to use this knowledge to your advantage, you can expose yourself to more light in the morning when you wake up by opening up the curtains or even setting up a lighting environment at a specific time when you want to wake up. On the other hand, at night, you can either turn off the lights all the way off if you don’t already do so, or dim your lighting.
Also, avoid using electronics with screens such as television, tablets, or your cell phone one hour before bed as these too can inhibit melatonin production.
2. Practice Meditation And Relaxation
Studies have shown that both relaxation and meditation can help you fall asleep and even sleep better at night. A state of stress and anxiety can cause more stress hormones such as cortisol to be produced, which makes you feel more awake.
Different forms of relaxation can help reduce your stress levels when practiced before bedtime. Relaxation and meditation can come in different forms, including:
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yoga
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reading
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journaling
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stretching
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self-massage therapy
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taking a warm bath
3. Avoid Taking Naps
Taking naps can make it difficult to go back to sleep at night because you are restoring small amounts of energy during the day. Long naps may also cause you to become groggy during the day as a result of waking up from a deep sleep cycle.
However, if you find that you need to nap at some point during the day, try to aim for 30 minutes or less, and try not to nap after 3 p.m. Doing this will help you avoid disrupting your sleep-wake cycle and will help you establish a healthy sleep routine throughout the night.
4. Exercise Regularly
Studies have shown time and time again that exercise is one of the best ways to reset your internal clock. Every aspect of our body, including our muscle-skeletal and tissues, is all connected to our internal and biological clock. Exercising regularly can also help with melatonin production which promotes more feelings of sleepiness before bedtime.
Researchers recommend that you perform at least 30 minutes of exercise a minimum of 5 times per week. This can include anything from walking, jogging, aerobics, or yoga. Lastly, keep in mind that exercising within 2 hours before you go to bed can make it much harder to fall asleep, so make sure you schedule your workouts earlier in the day.
5. Keeping A Cooler Room Environment
A cool bedroom temperature is one of the most important factors in achieving quality sleep.
The National Institutes of Health conducted a study that found anything below 54°F or higher than 75°F might disrupt your slumber, so be sure to adjust your thermostat accordingly during warmer and cold weather respectively. You can also use an air conditioner or fan according to warm temperatures, which will help you feel more comfortable at night as well!
6. Stay Comfortable
Ensuring that you have a comfortable bed and sleeping environment is essential to falling asleep, and staying asleep. An old mattress and pillow that is worn down will lose its ability to support you properly throughout the night. This will not only cause restlessness but may result in health complications down the road such as neck and back pain.
Experts suggest that you should swap out your mattress and pillow at least every 10 years. Clear signs that you should swap out your bedding can include symptoms of feeling stuffy, back and neck pain, or if your mattress makes too much noise.
Here is a related article on how to choose the right mattress for a more comfortable nights sleep: https://www.nationalmattress.ca/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-mattress
7. Avoid Background Noise
The best way to ensure a good night’s sleep is by keeping your sleeping environment as quiet and relaxing as possible. Loud, distracting noises can make it difficult for you to fall asleep or stay asleep. If that sounds like something you are experiencing right now, try turning off the television before bedtime so your brain doesn’t process those loud noises while trying to get restful sleep; shutting down distractions such as cell phones will also help with this goal of getting quality shuteye at night!
8. Eat Earlier Throughout The Day
Eating later in the day can cause you to delay your sleep because your body needs time to digest your food. Nutrients, carbohydrates, and sugars from food are all sources of energy that can raise blood pressure, which can also cause feelings of wakefulness.
Also, what you eat matters. Heavier meals that consist of heavy fats can disrupt your sleep because they take much longer to digest and leave your body. If you are typically hungry throughout the evening, try eating lighter snacks that have more protein such as nuts and wheat toast with peanut butter.
Lastly, you want to avoid beverages that contain a lot of caffeine and/or sugar such as coffee and energy drinks. These drinks often take several hours to wear off, so make sure your last intake is closer to the afternoon rather than the evening.
9. Avoid Sleeping In
In order to maintain a functioning sleep schedule, set an alarm clock and don’t hit the snooze button. "The brain needs instructions about when it is time for you to wake up," says Dr. Ken Liu of Stanford University School of Medicine in California where he studies how our brains perceive sensations from outside stimuli such as light or sounds that signal different times throughout the day."
Your body clock needs constant instruction on what desired waking hour you should expect every morning," said Dr. Liu who warns people against sleeping too little or having erratic schedules because this can lead to insomnia over time according to his research findings published last year by Science Daily magazine.
