Ask any health expert, doctor or fitness guru and they will tell you, that sleep is the foundation for a healthy, long life. Getting a good night’s sleep is important for your mental, physical and emotional health, with most experts suggesting anywhere from seven to nine hours of sleep. But it isn’t just about the quantity of sleep, it’s about the quality of sleep as well. However, achieving a good night’s sleep is never as easy as simply lying down and getting those zzz’s. In honor of National Sleep Comfort Month, we’ve rounded up a few tips and products to help you get your best sleep yet.
Tips for better sleep
According to the Sleep Foundation, there are several steps you can take to ensure a better night’s sleep. Here are just a few, with a full list here.
What to do before bed
- Consistent bedtime is important. Going to bed at the same time is crucial for keeping your circadian rhythm in sync.
- Spend about 30 minutes before bed winding down by doing activities such as taking a bath, light stretching, mindfulness meditation, etc.
- Minimize ( or eliminate) your exposure to blue light on your phone, T.V., computers, etc within an hour of going to bed.
- Keep your home cool at night, at around 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Try to not consume alcohol within one hour of going to bed.
What to do in the morning
- Set your alarm clock for the same time every morning.
- When you wake, try to get outside first thing in the morning and expose yourself to bright light for at least 15 minutes. This helps normalize your circadian rhythm.
What to do during the day
- Avoid caffeine too late in the day. Nothing after noon is ideal, but at the absolute latest nothing past 3:00 p.m.
- Exercise during the day for at least 20 minutes. Getting good exercise, when you get your heart rate up and breathing heavy, will help you sleep well at night.
Products for National Sleep Comfort Month
We’ve also got a few products that are easy to use (no not sleep aids) to help you sleep better and provide a more comfortable night’s rest.
Sleep sprays and essential oils
Essential oils, sprays and supplements are great natural ways to calm your body for a good night’s sleep. Aside from making your home smell good, essential oils are also known to help calm and relax the body. But you want to make sure you are breathing in natural oils and not chemicals.
Founded by an aromatherapist and aromatic perfumer, Yoursy sells a premium essential oil sleep blend that leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. The custom blend also helps to improve your sleep quality, aids in falling asleep faster and reduces sleep interruptions. You can even create a custom sleep formula just for you that addresses your unique wants and needs. Each blend is made to order by aromatherapists and labeled with your name on the bottle.
My personal favorite is the roll-on for topical use. It is easy to use and it doesn’t get everywhere like a spray will. Just massage it on your wrists, neck and temple, and slowly breathe in for a natural calming effect before you head to bed. Their sleep formula is blended with lavender, German chamomile, neroli, patchouli and jojoba golden.
In terms of natural supplements, the Sleep Foundation says magnesium glycinate supplement is said to help get a better night’s sleep due to its ability to relax the nervous system and muscles. You can take the supplement orally (which I do every night before bed), or there are topical magnesium oil sprays.
And of course, we’ve all heard about how CBD gummies, oils, sprays and lotions offer calming effects for a good night’s sleep. Places like Leanna Organics in Westminster focus on organic self-care CBD products for wellness and skincare. As well as Denver-based Cowgirl Soss’s entire line of CBD for sleep line. Just to name a few.
Non-sleep deep rest
We all know the stress of our daily lives can keep us up at night if we don’t learn how to manage it throughout the day or at night before hitting the pillow. The concept of non-sleep deep rest, or NSDR — made popular by neuroscientist and host of the Huberman Lab podcast, Andrew Huberman, is the skill of slowing down your thoughts to achieve a relaxed state of mind, making good sleep easier. You can achieve NSDR in a few ways: yoga nidra, hypnosis, or by using a calming sensory device.
Sensate is a sensory device designed to lower your stress levels through the use of sound and vibrations. Through this combination, the device helps to calm your fight or flight by toning the vagus nerve using soothing infrasonic resonance. I personally loved the combination of vibration and sound. I use the CALM app frequently for sleep and meditation but have never combined it with a vibration. This is a game-changer. If you’re a practicing yogi, then you know all too well the benefits of the OM, the hum vibration from this simple exhale is the ultimate connection between mind and breath — for relaxation and calmness.
All it takes is just 10 minutes a day and can be used as part of a daily routine or even a night routine to help calm yourself before sleep. Simply download the FREE Sensate app, sync your device with your phone and start your session. Use it lying down or sitting up, but place the device on your chest as this is where sound resonates, sending out a frequency that signals the Vagus nerve to relax. You can select a soundtrack that speaks to you (some require a paid subscription). Plus, its compact, lightweight design makes it the perfect travel companion for the office or the plane.
Red light therapy
We’ve all heard that avoiding blue light (from your phone, T.V. and computer screens) right before you go to bed is essential for a good night’s sleep but its counterpoint, red light, is said to aid in better sleep. Red light stimulates the production of serotonin, which helps to regulate mood and sleep and is also said to reduce the production of cortisol — the stress hormone that if too high can hinder sleep.
Red light therapy is also used for localized treatment of aches and pains for sore muscles, fitness and recovery. While most red light therapy is done in a doctor’s or dermatologist’s office, there are some specialty salons and spas that offer it as well. But now, there are more and more at-home treatments making red light therapy more accessible.
Founded and manufactured in Centennial, Colorado, DNA Vibe is the only wearable light therapy made in the USA. Without getting too technical, DNA Vibe combines proprietary red, near-infrared and magnetic signals, plus their technology adds micro-vibration for exceptional relief compared to other forms of red light therapy.
Don’t let your aches and pains keep you up at night during National Sleep Comfort Month. The unique computer-optimized flex geometry works where you feel pain: your ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, shoulders, neck and back. Using their quick start guide, simply place the Jazz Band wherever you feel pain using either the elastic smaller or larger band, and strap it to the area you want to focus on. Once you plug in and connect the magnetic connector, your Jazz Band is on (automatically shutting off after an hour).
There are four modes you can use: red, near-infrared, micro-vibration and magnetic. The four-mode operation is recommended, which is when the vibration is on along with the blue light on the switch. The good vibes come when you use it a couple of times a day for a couple of weeks, with 20 to 30-minute sessions. I found I could easily use it at home while sitting at my desk, working. To me, the ability to target certain areas is key, making it affordable and accessible.
Upgrade your sleepwear
If you’re not sleeping naked, then it’s time to upgrade your sleepwear so that your body stays cool at night. For National Sleep Comfort Month, what could be more comfortable than sleeping in something that felt like, “if velvet and cashmere had a baby, this would be its love child,” how Lara Smith, CEO and sleep expert at SOMÉ describes her sleepwear.
After watching her sister battle breast cancer and the treatments’ side effects of night sweats, Smith looked for sleepwear that would ward off night sweats while also promoting comfort and beauty. But all she found were pajamas made with 100% polyester, bamboo and chemicals in the finishing process, so she used her experience in the fashion industry and decided to develop her own line of sleepwear.
SOMÉ, which promotes the health and sleep of its wearers through XIROTEX™ technology ensures a cool and dry sleep experience. Their high-performing fabric uses a rapid push-pull mechanism that pulls moisture from fabric to the surface for rapid evaporation, helping to retain optimal body temperature, leaving your skin dry at night and keeping you cool for a better night’s sleep. In addition to their sleepwear, SOMÉ also sells sheets and pillowcases using the same technology.
*This is meant to be a helpful guide for a better night’s sleep, not medical advice. As always, consult your doctor before starting any new supplements or routines.