If You Do These Things You’re Guaranteed A Good Night’s Sleep

22. Don't Hit The Snooze Button

Image source YouTubeIs that extra few minutes really going to make you feel any less tired than you already do, if you decide to hit the snooze button.  You could do this and then go back into a deep sleep so will feel worse when the alarm goes off again.  Get straight out of bed, even if you feel tired and look forward to a lovely, long, peaceful sleep that night.

23. Don’t Clock Watch

Image source The Sleep DoctorWorrying about not getting enough sleep can actually stop you sleeping. The best way to deal with this is to remind yourself that resting in bed and thinking nice things is more productive than tossing and turning and looking at the clock every two minutes. If you can't stop checking the time, try turning the clock around or put it on the other side of the room.

24. Foods For Sleeping

Image source HealthlineEating healthily improves sleep generally but some foods are thought to be particularly beneficial such as milk, turkey, chicken and pumpkin seeds. They contain the chemicals tryptophan and serotonin which are vital for the production of melatonin (the hormone that promotes sleep).

25. Foods To Avoid

Image source Eat This, Not ThatLots of sugary food generally is bad for you because the energy spike and then the crash you get can play havoc with your body clock.  Research has shown that if you don’t sleep well, you tend to turn to junk food the following day, creating a cycle of poor sleep and a bad diet.  Try to heat a balanced diet and reap the benefits of a better sleep pattern.

26. Focus On Sleep Quality

Image source Real SimpleDo you tend to focus on how many hours you sleep?  Sleep quality is just as important. We go through a cycle of five stages of sleep about five times each night. During the later stages of the cycle, memories are consolidated and information is being processed, amongst other things. This means that getting up in the night to go to the loo can interrupt the cycle and you might not reach the later stages. The same can be said if you wake up worrying about something.

27. Try Lavender  For A Good Night's Sleep

Image source Daily ExpressA powerful herb with many health benefits, lavender can induce a calming and sedentary effect to improve sleep.  A few drops of lavender oil on your pillow or lavender bath salts in a relaxing bubble bath, are both ways to promote relaxation.  When you are relaxed you tend to fall asleep quicker.

28. Don't Wash Your Face With Cold Water Before Bed

Image source Health DigestMany people tend to wash their face with cold water before going to sleep. It actually helps stimulate the body and increases alertness.  A better natural sleep aid 

is to wash your face with warm water in the evening.  If you really would prefer to use cold water, do this at least an hour before you intend to go to bed.

29. Keep Off Lemons Last Thing At Night

Image source BBC Good Food  In order to keep away from caffeine in the evening as it's a stimulant, you might still fancy a hot drink and go for a healthy hot lemon beverage.  Bet you didn't know that the citrus flavour in this fruit enhances mental stimulation and boosts energy levels.  That's the last thing you want before going to bed.

30. Don't Smoke Or Vape Last Thing At Night

Image source HuffPostYou know smoking is bad for your health full stop.  If you are addicted to nicotine and you are not a good sleeper, then something has got to give - and it's not the sleep.  Nicotine is a stimulant and should be a no-no at least an hour before you decide to go to bed.  It may be difficult for you but you can look forward to probably getting a good quality sleep and you should feel as bright as a button in the morning.

31. Be Strict On Pets

Image Source / WikipediaAs heartbreaking as it is when they're giving you the puppy dog eyes, if your pet is taking up too much room on the bed or waking you up during the night, it's best to have a stricter routine with them. They may need to sleep in their bed on the floor instead, or sleep outside of the room altogether if they're disturbing you too much.

32. Understand Your Sleep Phases

Image Source  / WikipediaThe body goes through specific sleep stages during a night of full sleep, which starts with light sleep into deep sleep, then REM sleep before coming back to a light doze and moving through the cycles again. This means you can naturally wake up in the middle of the night due to that 'light' sleep stage restarting, and many people can wake up during this time and suddenly be alert or start worrying about getting or, or their alarm etc. If you understand these sleep phases, it'll help you to stop worrying and better drift back off if you do wake up - because it's all normal!

33. Practice Deep Breathing Exercises

Image Source  / WikipediaOnce you've climbed into bed, you can practice deep breathing to better relax you and get you into the right mindset for sleep. You can lie in bed and take in some very deep breaths and slowly exhale. Do this a couple of times over the next few minutes (or however long you feel like you need to) to prepare you for sleep.

34. Don't Become Dependent On Sleeping Pills

Image Source  / WikipediaSleeping pills are an obvious way to get a good night's sleep if you're really struggling naturally - but the problem begins if you use them all the time. If you use them for the long-term and depend on them every night, it means that you're teaching your body to only be able to sleep if you've taken the pills. This means it might become even more difficult to drift off on your own.

35. Give Aromatherapy A Go

Image Source  / WikipediaAromatherapy essential oils are great at helping you relaxing, and especially when it comes to a good night's sleep. There are many different ways you can use these oils to prep you for bedtime, such as putting in a diffuser in the bedroom, adding to your pre-sleep bath, or even getting an aromatherapy treatment from a massage therapist in the evening if you're feeling particularly stressed!

36. Shed Some Pounds

Image Source  / Simple WikipediaIf you've been carrying some extra weight recently, sleep can become more difficult. It doesn't need to be serious obesity to affect your sleep, as extra weight can obstruct your breathing and even increase risk of sleep apnoea. It's also a vicious cycle, because the less sleep you're getting, the more likely you'll have an unhealthy lifestyle or put on weight. So putting focus on healthy weight is a good idea!

37. Be Very Strict With Your Work-Life Balance

Image Source  / The MidultThis is very important for people who work from home in particular, because work can easily bleed into down time. If you're getting late nights because you're doing extra work at night, or if you're worrying about getting up earlier in the morning to finish off some work, this can all affect your sleep. Be very strict about when you start and stop work so that your body knows when it can relax and prepare for sleep.

38. Try Mindfulness

Image Source  / WikipediaThis is key for bed time if you're someone who lies there for hours thinking about something embarrassing you did five years ago. Mindfulness is the practice of being only in the present, which means concentrating on your breathing and how you feel in bed rather than dwelling on the past or the future. This can help you get into a better mind to sleep!

39. Try To Cut Out Noise As Much As Possible

Image Source  / WikipediaYou're not always in control of the noise around you, and especially if you sleep during the day because you work nights. But if there's any noise you can control, like the whirring of electronics in your room or the sound of the TV you always leave on by accident, make sure to create as silent an environment as you can. Anything else, earplugs will always help!

40. Make Your Room As Dark As Possible

Image Source  / Dumpsters.comBlackout blinds or curtains will be a big help here, and closing doors to shut out any other light will help, too. You should also think about anything else in your room that could be causing a glow, like a digital alarm clock that might be too bright. Make your room as dark as possible to make it more likely you'll fall asleep, and stay asleep without light waking you up.

41. Make Sure Your Bedroom Doesn't Have Any Clutter In It

Image Source  / Home Wiki - FandomIf your bedroom is a mess and built up with clutter, there's no way your brain is going to be relax when you get into bed. Apart from the fact the mess you have around you will trigger you to feel more stressed, you might start thinking about how badly you need to tidy up, feel the pressure to tidy up and then get completely distracted by clutter.

42. Re-Decorate Your Bedroom

Image Source  / ValsparIf your bedroom is in need of a makeover, it might be the right time to do it if you're struggling to sleep. This is because certain colour schemes can be more soothing when you're drifting off. Obviously this depends on your colour preferences, but blue is known to be a great bedroom colour because it's a 'cooling' and relaxing shade as opposed to a more high-energy colour, like pink or red.

43. Treat Sleep As Something Worthy Of Time And Respect

Image Source  / Psychology Wiki - FandomThe problem with modern day hectic life is that sleep can be the first thing that's put on the backburner. You have too much work to do so you go to bed late. You want a wild night out so you get about two hours sleep before your next shift starts. Sleep is one of the most important things for a healthy lifestyle, and it should never be avoided. So when you start to realise sleep is 'worthy of respect', it'll help!

44. Play Music Before You Sleep

Image Source  / WikipediaWhile it's important to cut out as much noise as possible for a relaxing night's sleep, sometimes the right music can help those who struggle. You may be able to find the perfect YouTube playlist for bed-time music, otherwise softer genres like ambient music or classical pieces can help you to drift off.

45. Get Technology To Help With Sleep

Image Source  / WikipediaWhile it's important to turn off all technology before you go to bed and avoid that blue light, some tech can actually help you get a better night's sleep. A sleep tracker could help you work out where you're going wrong, while white noise machines could provide a soothing noise to help you drift off. Choose something that complements you.

46. Read A Book In Bed

Image Source  / WikipediaEven if it's just for twenty minutes or half an hour or so, reading a book in bed is one of the best things you can do, because not only does it let your brain wind down from your own thoughts and stresses of the day, it also makes your eyes more tired which means you're more likely to fall asleep quicker. It might be a good idea to choose the right book for bed time though - stay away from any horror, for example! Unless that relaxes you...

47. Try A Herbal Tea

Image Source  / WikipediaWhile it's important to not start chugging the caffeine before bed, herbal teas can actually help. You can get herbal teas with relaxing botanical ingredients, like chamomile or lavender, which will put you in a better state to relax and wind-down before sleep. You could even take a cup to bed with you to drink with your book!

48. Get Into Your Preferred Sleeping Position As Soon As You Get Into Bed

Image Source / WikipediaWhether you're a side-sleeper, front-sleeper or back-sleeper, get into your preferred position as soon as you get into bed. The reason for this is that if you're lying in bed on your back for a bit when you've just got into bed when you're usually a side-sleeper, if you end up drifting off you're only going to wake back up again because you've fallen asleep on your back and need to turn onto your side. The same applies to any position - if you fall asleep in a position that's not your usual one, it's going to jerk you back awake.

49. Change Your Bed Sheets Every Week

Image Source / WikipediaIt's a universal fact that freshly-changed bed sheets just feel amazing. And you'll want to get that good vibe as often as possible. Keeping on top of your clean sheets means you'll always get into bed knowing you're in a clean and relaxing environment. If you're hardly ever changing your sheets, apart from the fact that it'll feel disgusting, you'll also be increasing the risk of dust and bed bugs.

50. Change Your Bedding With The Seasons

Image Source / WikipediaHow hot or cold you are in bed will decide whether you get a good night's sleep. It's a good idea to have a thicker duvet for winter, and a thinner one for summer. Using the same duvet all year round just makes it likely you won't be warm enough during the cold months, or you'll be sweating during the peak summer months!