How would you like to sleep BETTER? Sleep is the key to more energy, hormone balance, peak brain performance, and just feeling good. 

While everyone is talking about how important sleep is for overall health, I want to ask another question: What about the other way around? The truth is that if you’re not doing things throughout the day that support your physical health, even the best bedtime routine will never help you sleep. 

So, first let’s lay the groundwork with some ways to support your physical body for better sleep. Read this list and make a mental note of which ones you may need to pay more attention to.

For better sleep:

• Wake up at the same time every day to set your internal clock & hormones. 

• Get out in the sun so your body can make vitamin D, which helps regulate sleep.

• Move your body for better sleep quality.

• Stay hydrated to regulate your core body temperature and sleep better.

• Eat for blood sugar balance because both too high or too low blood sugar can disrupt sleep.

There are also lots of things people do every day that they don’t even realize might be subtly ruining their sleep. Let’s look at those next. 

How you might be ruining your sleep

If you want better sleep, you’ll want to stop doing these things right away. Check your habits. While these things are okay every once in a while, they become problematic if you do them on a regular basis: 

• Alcohol. Even though alcohol initially calms the nervous system, it disrupts the normal phases of the sleep cycle as it wears off during the night. 

• Sugar. Eating sweets and refined carbohydrates causes blood sugar fluctuations that disrupt sleep.

• Late-day caffeine. It can take up to 10 hours for caffeine to completely clear from your system, so pay attention to when you drink that last sip of coffee.

• Sitting around. Movement and exercise are key to healthy hormones, a regulated internal clock, and quality sleep. 

• Nighttime Screens. The blue light that emits from your phone, tablet, or TV  interferes with your natural production of melatonin, the hormone needed for sleep.

So before you grab a pill (even something natural), take a look at these habits and see if you notice better sleep when you stop them. 

5 Natural Hacks for Better Sleep

#1 Turn Off the Wi-Fi

Most people don’t do this. Of all the things that can disrupt sleep, did you ever think of wi-fi? The wi-fi router sends constant invisible signals throughout your home—increasing your family’s exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). EMFs stress the body, nervous system, and hormones. 

Some people are more sensitive to EMFs than others, and you may think they don’t affect you, but EMFs could absolutely be one thing contributing to poor sleep. One simple thing you can do to decrease the EMFs in your home while you sleep: 

Turn off your wi-fi-router. An easy way to do this is to plug the router into an outlet with a programmable timer.

There are other benefits too! You (and your kids) will be forced to shut off devices at a specific time every night, and you won’t be tempted to grab your phone if you wake in the night. Sounds like a more peaceful environment for sleep to me 💤 

#2 Snack Smart at Night

I don’t recommend eating right before bed. It can disrupt digestion, detoxification, hormones, and metabolism. But if you find yourself feeling hungry early in the evening and want a snack that will support better sleep, here are some backed by science:

Foods high in magnesium (to calm the nervous system):

• Oats

• Almonds

• Cashews

• Chia Seeds

Foods containing tryptophan (to make serotonin):

• Pistachios

• Sesame Seeds

• Pumpkin Seeds

• Cottage Cheese

Foods that support melatonin production:

• Kiwis

• Oranges

• Bananas

• Pineapples

• Tart Cherry Juice

Just remember to keep it to a light snack at night so your body can work on rejuvenating and repairing in the night rather than digesting a lot of food. 

#3 Listen to Music

This study is hot off the press. A brand new study found that listening to music for 30 minutes before bedtime may improve sleep.  

Participants downloaded an app called *Music Star* and listened to music for at least 30 minutes at bedtime for 4 weeks. They experienced better sleep quality and longer sleep than people not listening to music.

The Music Star app is designed as a multicolored star, with each corner of the star linking to a different tempo of music:

• Blue playlists are the quietest

• Green playlists are more lively

• Red playlists are the most upbeat

• Gray playlists are more for focus

So, if you’re trying out new ideas for a bedtime routine, maybe you could think about adding music to the mix.

#4 Relax with Lavender Oil

One thing I love to nerd out about is natural products. When it comes to sleep, lavender essential oil is one natural option with research to back it. One study found that college students who wore a chest patch containing lavender essential oil had better sleep and woke up feeling more refreshed. 

Lavender essential oil is calming and stress relieving. Here are some ways to use it for better sleep:

• Apply a small amount to the wrists & temples

• Apply to the soles of the feet before bed

• Use in an aromatherapy diffuser

• Add to a warm bath before bed

#5 Keep a Gratitude Journal

Did you know that gratitude improves sleep? It’s backed by research, has massive benefits, and is easy to do. One thing I love to do is a simple gratitude journal. You can do this any time of day, but if you’re the type that needs a little more help winding down at night, do it right before bed. 

It’s as easy as writing down 3 things you feel grateful for today. 

It may just improve your sleep, which will have a domino effect into the rest of your life—with better energy, mood, focus, performance, metabolism, and more. 

Next Steps

We are here to help! If you feel like you’re doing everything right but still struggle with sleep, energy, hormone balance, brain function, or other health issues, we invite you to apply for our deeply personalized 1:1 health transformation program: Thrive Tribe.