The older you get, the more aware you become of the importance of a good night's sleep. Unfortunately, it also becomes harder to come by. I have spent most of my life struggling to find a regular sleep pattern. Often times I spend hours laying awake in bed, struggling to even feel tired. Fortunately, there is a way we can train our brain to sleep better, according to clinical psychologist and sleep expert Michael Grandner.
1. Stick to a Schedule
Our sleep is entirely regulated by Melatonin, the hormone that is released to make you tired. According to Grandner, the melatonin needs to be released at consistent times. "You want to build a reliable rhythm, much like the drummer counting the beat for the band," Grandner said. "By controlling when you wake up and go to bed, you're setting the beat."
Yes, this means sticking to your wakeup time on the weekends even. "The brain likes regularity and predictability," Grandner added. "Waking up at the same time every day, and then adding light and movement as soon as you wake up, will set your other rhythms for the day and give you increased energy and mood."
2. Stop Laying in Bed Awake
This is a tip that Grandner says is so effective, it can even beat prescription sleep medications. "The best sleep tip you can ever give somebody is get up -- don't lay in bed awake but not sleeping," Grandner said. "Whether it's the beginning of the night or the middle of the night, if you've been awake for 20 or 30 minutes, get up and reset. Maybe you just need five minutes to get sleepy, or maybe an hour, but don't spend that time awake in bed." It's all about tricking your brain to associate your bed with sleep.
3. Have a Better Attitude About Sleep
This one maybe seems silly, but Grandner insists it is very important. Most people look at sleep as the last thing they do each day. They also don't hesitate to push it off so they can finish binging a TV show, or catching up on social media. That line of thinking needs to change, according to Grandner.
"Don't see your sleep as the amount of time you have left in your day," he advised. "See your sleep as the amount of time you need in order to set yourself up for a productive tomorrow."
Most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep to be fully rested the next day. If you're not quite hitting that mark, try implementing these three tips into your life so you can be optimally refreshed and ready to be productive each day.