When your alarm goes off in the mornings, do you immediately get out of bed? Or do you push the snooze button?
Confession: I’m a snoozer.
It’s a problem. I realize this. Hitting the snooze button is my way of slowly accepting that the day must start. But it’s not best practice.
We all know sleep is important, but how often do we actually change our habits to help improve our sleep? I don’t know about you, but it’s easy to wish for better sleep without making any changes to get there.
So, we’re going to tackle sleep this month! You may have insomnia, sleep apnea, or some other condition that interferes with your sleep. In that case, a simple tweak likely won’t help you.
This month’s resolution is designed to help people who don’t have any sleep conditions but would just like to improve the quantity and/or quality of their sleep.
So here it is: Resolve to make one small change to help improve your sleep. This is purposefully vague because sleep is personal. One person’s sleep patterns can vary pretty significantly from someone else’s.
For me? The resolution is to quit the snooze button.
If you’re a snoozer, I challenge you to say goodbye to the snooze button. Getting up with the alarm helps our bodies learn what time we actually need to go to bed. It also prevents our brains from getting confused about our sleep cycle (It’s true. Read more about that here.).
If you’re not a snoozer, there may be other small changes you can make to help improve your sleep. Need a few examples? Use this list to pick a resolution:
- Switch to decaffeinated drinks 4-6 hours before bedtime.
- Turn off bright screens an hour before bedtime.
- Set a consistent bedtime.
- Set a consistent wake-up time.
- Begin using a sleep mask.
- Start an exercise routine to help your body rest at night.
- Develop a nighttime relaxation routine. Think chamomile tea, reading, soft lighting, etc.
Notice that only one of those options requires making a purchase. Getting better sleep doesn’t have to involve spending a lot of money. For many of us, it involves setting routines and sticking to them.
So how will you improve your sleep this month?