It’s interesting how a perfect night’s sleep can set us up for success. Resting well can mean a lot both for our physical and emotional well-being thanks to the mood regulation and cognitive functions that a perfect night’s sleep provides.

But several elements, such as the right temperature, exercising, and the practices we do before bed, need to be taken care of to ensure we restore our bodies. Just because we sleep seven or eight hours, it doesn’t necessarily mean we rest. 

Below, we’ll discover the best ways to improve our sleep quality.

How Poor Sleep Affects Us

Generally, adults need between seven to eight hours of sleep per night. While it’s not the end of the world if you skip a night’s sleep, it’s impossible to keep it up in the long run, as inadequate sleep can affect our body and cause health issues.

The lack of sleep can affect our mental and physical health. Poor sleep affects our memory, attention, and decision-making, impairing our overall cognitive functioning. In addition to this, if we don’t get enough sleep, our immune system weakens, making us vulnerable to colds.

Sleep deprivation can also affect our mood,  making us feel grumpy, irritable, or even depressed. 

Understanding the Circadian Rhythm

The circadian rhythm regulates the body's biological processes, such as sleep-wake cycles, metabolism, body temperature, and the activity of hormones. 

To better understand its function, think of a 24-hour internal clock in your brain. It modulates the cycles of alertness and sleepiness by getting information from external factors, such as light and darkness. The eyes send information about light and dark variations and help adapt the body's internal clock. When it's dark, the body produces melatonin to support sleeping. Melatonin is a critical hormone when it comes to sleep. The pineal gland produces it, and it signals the body when it's time to go to bed. Once the night has ended, the brain pauses the melatonin production until the night comes again. The body then gets the signal that it's time to wake up.

Every person has a unique circadian rhythm, also known as a chronotype. This explains why some people are early birds while others are night owls. This distinction debunks the productivity myth that everyone should wake up early to succeed. Understanding that we all function differently removes some pressure on those who don't perform at their best when they wake up early.

Circadian rhythms are different for every stage of our life. Babies don't develop a circadian rhythm until a few months old, hence their initial chaotic sleep patterns. Teenagers experience a sleep delay, where they have more energy at night and don't feel the need to sleep early. In comparison, adults begin to experience sleepiness before midnight.

What happens when our circadian rhythm is out of sync?

When the circadian rhythm is off, we have trouble falling asleep. Even if we manage to fall asleep, we may wake up in the middle of the night. Poor quality sleep can ruin our decision-making ability because of the brain fog it creates. We may find ourselves moody because of cortisol secretion. When the stress hormone rises, we are prone to irritability and see everything through a negative lens.

Also, any lifestyle adjustment that disturbs the body's balance affects the circadian rhythm. Stress, menstruation, jet lag, and shift work can heavily disrupt the body's circadian rhythm. Maintaining a balanced circadian rhythm is crucial to protect the body's health and vitality. Natural sunlight ensures our circadian rhythm works appropriately and increases our energy levels.

How to Have the Perfect Night's Sleep

Achieving the perfect night’s sleep is possible if we make sure the right elements are in check. 

Stick to a consistent sleep schedule

Being mindful of our sleep schedule leads to a well-functioning circadian rhythm. When we go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, our bodies adapt to this schedule. Sticking to the same sleep schedule (and avoiding naps that disturb your natural sleep schedule) helps us wake up more energized and productive. It can also help keep insomnia, snoring, and sleep apnea at bay. 

Following a sleep schedule that works for you is essential rather than trying to wake up at 5 am because that’s what is expected from successful people. Seek what plan feels right and ensure you get at least seven hours of sleep.

Create the right sleep environment

Our sleep environment is instrumental in achieving perfect sleep. The mattress, pillows, and bed sheets should be high quality to provide a comfortable experience. Bed linen should be soft and cotton-made.

Body alignment is critical, so the mattress and the pillows should support your sleeping position. A healthy sleeping position shouldn’t add any pressure to the spine. A great alternative is sleeping on your side, with a pillow between your knees.

Darkness is important because it facilitates the creation of melatonin. Light interferes with its production, preventing us from falling asleep fast. Black curtains and eye masks keep the light away and encourage the release of melatonin. 

Temperature and ventilation play a critical role in creating a perfect sleep environment. The optimal temperature for sleep is 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 19 degrees Celsius). You will wake up at night if your bedroom becomes too hot or cold.

Avoid stimulating activities before bed

The blue light emitted by electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets can interfere with melatonin production. This makes it even more difficult to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed the following day.

In addition to this, scrolling through social media isn’t good for you. It can be emotionally stimulating, causing you stress or anxiety by making you compare yourself to others. Social media can interfere with your mental well-being and make you feel dissatisfied with your life, a feeling that’s not constructive before going to sleep. Going to sleep thinking you’re not good enough will make you wake up the next day depleted and moody, and it will affect your self-image.

Using electronic devices right before going to bed can overstimulate the brain. Keeping all electronic devices outside the bedroom would be best to ensure you don’t get entangled in news or ideas that don’t serve your well-being. Because if we do, we get into the pattern of overthinking, which can lead to a struggle for sleep and a restless night. Also, focusing on negativity can make you prone to having nightmares.

If there’s truly something on your mind, it’s best to resort to a journal where you can freely express yourself. Pour all your worries and troubles onto the piece of paper, and once you’re done, make sure they stay there and you don’t think about them anymore.

Limit caffeine and alcohol

Consuming caffeine late in the day, even six hours before sleep, can overstimulate the nervous system. Caffeine consumption before bed blocks adenosine, a chemical that promotes sleepiness. It encourages the body to release adrenaline, making us more alert. Even worse, it can lead to insomnia.

Alcohol can also disrupt your sleep. Consuming alcohol before bed can make you fall asleep fast, but most likely, it won’t be quality sleep. Even if you sleep eight hours, you’ll wake up groggy and apathetic.

Healthier alternatives to alcohol include decaffeinated coffee and relaxing teas.

Exercise regularly

Exercising is key to diminishing stress and anxiety. When we perform physical activities, our bodies release feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and endorphins, which naturally help put the body at ease. Incorporating exercise into your routine can help improve sleep patterns and help you wake up more energetic, focus better, and not get overwhelmed during the day when challenges appear. But make sure you don't exercise just before bed, as you'll find it difficult to fall asleep.

Reduce clutter

Your bedroom should be treated as a sleep sanctuary. A disorganized bedroom can lead to mental chaos. Before sleep, it’s important to declutter and ensure that no work-related objects are inside your bedroom. An organized bedroom can help you fall asleep with ease. The brain won’t be burdened with clutter, and this will help to create a peaceful state of mind.

A tidy bedroom can also reduce distraction and feelings of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.

Manage stress

Going to bed free of worry and stress can drastically improve the quality of your sleep. You can unwind by walking in the evening or practicing yoga or meditation to let the body know you’re ready to relax. 

It’s important to signal to your body when it’s time to sleep. A bath, candles, soothing music, and a good book can work wonders before bed. The most crucial factor to remember is that you can’t go to bed thinking negatively. Chances are you’ll wake up in the same mental frame, and it will affect the new day ahead. 

Visualisation is vital in priming the brain for a victorious start to the day. Before going to sleep, imagine how you want your day to unfold. If there are challenges you need to overcome, imagine doing that successfully. 

Make the Most of Your Sleep

Achieving restoring sleep shouldn’t be a matter of luck. If you make sure you create the perfect sleep environment, you are more likely to wake up active and rejuvenated. 

Sometimes, people unconsciously ruin their sleep by allowing negative thoughts to populate their minds. "Better sleep" is a hypnotic audio I created to help people eliminate sleep problems. It’s a peaceful way to bring relaxation into your body and empty your mind of thoughts that don’t serve you. Everyone deserves a rejuvenating and restorative sleep, and you’re no different.

I’ve made it my life’s mission to make peace of mind and the ability to reach your potential available to everyone
- and that includes you!

 Check out my better sleep audio by clicking this link.

Here’s to true freedom, happiness and health! - Jamie Clarke