5 Tips for Sleeping Better and Waking Up Refreshed
Yawning through the morning is a universal experience, signaling either a restful night or it's unfortunate opposite - a restless one!
The National Sleep Foundation has marked March as National Sleep Awareness Month1, and we think it’s a perfect moment to refresh our strategies for achieving better sleep. It all starts with creating a restful routine that helps prepare your mind and body for sleep. Surprisingly some of these start long before hitting the hay!
Here are 5 tips for a better night’s rest:
Schedule Your Sleep Time
There is no precise number of hours of sleep that guarantees you will wake up feeling refreshed. Based on your age and lifestyle, what’s recommended for you likely falls within a certain range. Most adults require a minimum of seven hours of sleep per night.2
Scheduling your bedtime enhances the likelihood of a rejuvenating slumber. Make sleep a priority, just like you would any important appointment or meeting.
Optimal Exercise Timing
While exercise is crucial to your overall well-being, timing is key. Aerobic workouts in the morning3 may help improve sleep quality more than the same workouts in the afternoon or evening. Also, more workouts have been linked to more time spent in deep sleep. A daytime walk lasting 10 minutes or longer4 can improve your sleep that night.
Try avoiding strenuous exercise within three hours of your scheduled bedtime. Late workouts can raise your body temperature, which may impact sleep onset and how well you sleep. Some studies found that high-intensity workouts within an hour of bedtime5 can negatively affect sleep time and sleep efficiency.
Mindful Eating Habits
This might be an obvious one, but there are some not-so-obvious exceptions! We can all agree that consuming caffeine, sugary foods, or a large meal before bedtime is a bad idea and can lead to poor-quality sleep.
But did you know that certain snacks before bedtime can provide sleep benefits such as falling asleep faster6 or staying asleep longer7. A snack before bed may be necessary to prevent low blood sugar, and can also curb a person’s hunger and help them feel satiated until morning. Some foods that help people sleep better include milk, walnuts, almonds, kiwi, and cherries.
Diminished Light Exposure
Two in three people use a screen before bed,8 which increases exposure to blue lights that disrupt the natural sleep cycle. Blue light stimulates parts of the brain that make us feel alert9 and suppresses the body’s release of melatonin.10
Try using a lamp that emits red or orange light rather than blue if trying to read. If still using your phone, dim the brightness or use the night mode.
Banishing the Snooze Button
Over one-third of us will opt for the snooze button three times before finally getting up. Over half of the adults in their twenties and early thirties say they use the snooze button every morning.
Resist the temptation of snoozing, as it disrupts REM cycles, leaving you groggier. Maintaining a consistent sleep-wake cycle is paramount for optimal rest.11
Incorporate CBD into Your Wind-Down Routine
OK, you knew this one was coming! CBD oil for sleep is easy to use and offers fast absorption. Our Evening Blend Oil is a blend of organic CBD hemp extract, sunflower lecithin, organic MCT oil, and a custom botanical blend of Valerian Root, Lemon Balm, Vanilla, and Chamomile that promotes calmness and relaxation. If you have trouble falling asleep, take the Evening Blend Oil 30-40 minutes before your desired bedtime. If you have trouble staying asleep, take the oil right before you go to sleep.
If you struggle with sleep due to discomfort or muscle tension, a CBD topical could be just what you need. Our Restore Roll-On is intended to be used where you need them the most, so if achy muscles or joints are keeping you up at night then the Restore Roll-On may be perfectly crafted for you and your sleep needs - plus the lavender scent helps you ease into an evening of rest and relaxation.
From gummies to chocolates, CBD edibles are a tasty way to get your nightly dose of CBD. Just be sure to enjoy them a little while before hitting the hay to give them time to kick in!
According to customer reviews, our Citrus-C Gummies help them sleep better throughout the night.
“I expected to get relief from heel pain that bothers me from time to time, but what I got was even better. Although I generally sleep very well, I often woke during the night to use the bathroom, and seldom woke up feeling like I had a great night's sleep. After about a week of using these very tasty gummies, I noticed that I was waking up feeling refreshed. That benefit means even more to me than the relief of the heel pain, and was completely unexpected. I didn't even realize I *wasn't* waking up feeling restored until I actually woke up feeling restored! Very grateful to Treadwell Farms.” - Pam J
Amid life's hustle, adequate sleep often takes a backseat, leading to diminished vitality and cognitive function. However, by adopting proactive measures such as setting sleep schedules, adhering to pre-bedtime rituals, and leveraging CBD's calming properties, achieving restful sleep becomes an attainable reality.
Embrace these strategies, and watch as restorative slumber transforms into a nightly ritual, fueling productivity and vitality. After all, a well-rested mind and body pave the path for boundless potential.
Sources
- National Sleep Foundation, Sleep Awareness Month 2024. https://www.thensf.org/sleep-awareness-week/
- National Sleep Foundation, How Much Sleep Do You Really Need? https://www.thensf.org/how-many-hours-of-sleep-do-you-really-need/
- Fairbrother, K., Cartner, B., Alley, J. R., Curry, C. D., Dickinson, D. L., Morris, D. M., & Collier, S. R. (2014). Effects of exercise timing on sleep architecture and nocturnal blood pressure in prehypertensives. Vascular health and risk management, 10, 691–698., https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25540588/
- Caruso, C. C., & Chosewood, L. C. (2020, June 29). Improve Sleep: Tips to Improve Your Sleep When Times Are Tough. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention., https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2020/06/29/sleep-hwd/
- Stutz, J., Eiholzer, R., & Spengler, C. M. (2019). Effects of Evening Exercise on Sleep in Healthy Participants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine, 49(2), 269–287., https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30374942/
- Lin, H. H., Tsai, P. S., Fang, S. C., & Liu, J. F. (2011). Effect of kiwifruit consumption on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems. Asia Pacific Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, 20(2), 169–174.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21669584/ - Howatson, G., Bell, P. G., Tallent, J., Middleton, B., McHugh, M. P., & Ellis, J. (2012). Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. European Journal of Nutrition, 51(8), 909–916.
- Auray, B. (2024). Screen Time and Sleep: Survey Reveals Generational Trends. Sleepopolis, Retrieved from https://sleepopolis.com/education/screen-time-and-sleep-survey/
- Vandewalle, G., Maquet, P., & Dijk, D. J. (2009). Light as a modulator of cognitive brain function. Trends in cognitive sciences, 13(10), 429–438.
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1364661309001685 - Lockley, S. W., Brainard, G. C., & Czeisler, C. A. (2003). High sensitivity of the human circadian melatonin rhythm to resetting by short wavelength light. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 88(9), 4502–4505. https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/88/9/4502/2845835
- Mattingly, S. M., Martinez, G., Young, J., Cain, M. K., & Striegel, A. (2022). Snoozing: An examination of a common method of waking. Sleep, 45(10). https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsac184
