Snooze to Better Sleep

“The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

We at ETS have to confess that we are terrible sleepers. It seems a strange thing to say, but it’s the truth. With how important sleep is to recovery, longevity, and overall mental health, it is worth getting better at it. Fortunately, there are strategies and approaches to help.

Probably the most common advice is to get daily exercise and stick to a sleep schedule¹. Exercising regularly helps fatigue your body – in a healthy way – and hitting the bed at the same time every night puts your body into a rhythm. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine before hitting the sack. These are stimulants and are shown to negatively affect the ability to go to sleep or stay asleep². Optimize your bedroom for great sleep. Invest in a good mattress and pillows. Let the bedroom cool down to between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Hang dark curtains to block out light³. Turn any bright clocks you have away from you.

Even when doing all of the above, it’s not guaranteed you will have great sleep. We know this firsthand. The purpose is to keep encouraging restful sleep. Don’t lie frustrated while watching the clock, that is still recovery. Studies of pro athletes show taking it easy by sitting or laying down and resting helps recover both mentally and physically⁴. Develop a pre-bed routine that works for you. The goal is to have more restful nights than restless. Happy snoozing.

Action: Review your sleeping environment and pre-bed routine. What can you improve?

Further Reading:

1. Good Sleep for Good Health
2. Overcoming Factors that Interfere with Sleep
3. Top 15 Proven Tips to Sleep Better at Night
4. Rest and recovery are critical for an athlete’s physiological and psychological well-being