How to Prepare Yourself for Better Sleep

The fast pace of modern society drives many people to fatigued days followed by sleepless nights. Preparation for sleep starts long before you lie down in bed. Everything you do throughout the day can come back to affect your ability to reach each stage in the sleep cycle successfully.

Stages of Sleep

Sleep is far more complex than many people realize. Every night, you cycle through four sleep stages followed by rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The body needs to reach and stay in each stage for a specific amount of time to maintain optimum health.

• Stage 1: While in this stage, you’re in the act of falling asleep. Brain waves and breathing begin to slow, but you can startle out this stage. Though you can be awakened in stage 1, your body will feel sluggish and tired.
• Stage 2: The line between stage 1 and 2 is thin, but stage 2 is where you spend most of your sleeping hours. The body cycles back to this stage several times during the night. While in this stage, brain waves lengthen and slow as does your heart rate and breathing.
• Stage 3: Stage 3 is the first level of deep sleep. Delta waves start to appear on brain scans though, at this stage, they will be mixed with flurries of activity. Waking from stage 3 is difficult and may leave you disoriented.
• Stage 4: Stage 4 sleep is similar to stage 3 except that it only has Delta waves. Breathing and brain activity are as slow as they ever get during sleep.
• REM Sleep: REM sleep is the last and one of the most critical stages. Your brain and eye activity are similar to the daytime except the muscles are paralyzed. Sleepwalking and talking often takes place during this stage.

Sleep Preparation

In the Morning

Preparing for good sleep starts first thing in the morning. The body runs on regular 24-hour cycles called circadian rhythms. Waking up at the same time every morning helps establish healthy rhythms so that the body knows when to start the waking process.

During the Day

Throughout the day, consider your eating schedule. Regularly timed and spaced meals contribute to the timing of your body’s circadian rhythms. What you eat matters just as much as when you eat. Healthy, well-balanced meals keep the body functioning as it should. Heavy, high-fat sugary foods can get in the way of digestion and interfere with your sleep cycle.

Light exposure during the day impacts your sleepiness at night. Special light receptors in the eyes are stimulated by natural light, signaling the brain when it’s time to start releasing sleep hormones. That’s why natural light helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.

If you can, exercise in the morning or earlier in the evening. Strenuous exercise done within four hours of bed raises your body temperature and releases endorphins that can keep you awake.

In the afternoon, watch your caffeine intake. Caffeine temporarily blocks the release of sleep hormones and can stay in your system for several hours.

Before Bed

When it’s finally time to get ready for bed, meditation or yoga can help relieve stress or tension. Both have been found to help control relieve inflammation and improve your mood. They both make an excellent addition to a bedtime routine. Speaking of routines, make sure you perform your bedtime routine at the same time and in the same order every night.

Good sleep also needs the right conditions. If smells bother you, consider purchasing an organic mattress that is free of chemical flame retardants. A dark, quiet bedroom kept at a comfortably cool 60-68 degrees finishes out the relaxing atmosphere needed for high-quality sleep. 

About the author:

Amy Highland is a sleep expert at sleephelp.org She loves taking naps during thunderstorms and cuddling up with a blanket, book, and cats.