Dear Maddi
I know I am not getting enough sleep; however I can't seem to go to bed at a reasonable time, and I always end up staying up too late. How can I work towards getting enough sleep so I'm not always so tired?
-Exhausted in Edmonton
Dear Exhausted,
You are facing a common problem! But you deserve a lot of credit, because it sounds like you are ready to make this important change. Consider the following steps to make sleep more of a priority in your life.
- Do some research. Increase your motivation to change by learning why making this change could be helpful to you. Spend time reading about the benefits of sleep. Consistent restful sleep is linked to great health benefits, including lowering risks of diabetes, heart disease, blood pressure as well as mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. It is also linked with a stronger immune system, and better focus and concentration. It can also help to list how your day to day life could be better if you weren't always so tired. Keep your list somewhere you can see it often!
- Track present habits. For a couple of nights, don't change anything. Just observe your own behaviour around bedtime. Keep track of what types of activities are keeping you busy and awake when you should be winding down. Are you doing schoolwork? Texting friends? Browsing social media? Drinking a lot of coffee? Or watching another episode of your favourite show? Try to identify the main culprits that keep you out of bed and awake into the wee hours.
- Do some math. Consider how much sleep you want, but don't aim for an excessive amount. Although it might feel great to get 10 hours of sleep on weekends, if you try to aim for that every night, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Aim instead somewhere in the vicinity of 7 to 8 hours. You will also want to track how long your bedtime routine takes. For most people, even just a simple routine of changing into pajamas and brushing teeth takes at least 15 minutes. Don't forget to include the "getting ready for bed" time in your calculations. You will then consider what time you plan to wake up. For example, let's say you hope to get about 7 hours of sleep. If you plan to wake up at 6:30am, this would mean starting to get ready for bed at 11:00pm, with plans to be actually be in bed with lights out by 11:30pm.
Now that you have done the necessary preparation, it's time to make an action plan! Consider how you are going to follow through on your new, earlier bedtime. Use the knowledge you gained in step 2, above. Consider some of the following strategies.
- Make technology work for you. Use an app such as Space to help you cut down on your phone use in the evening. It can help you limit your phone usage according to your goals, such as cutting down time on social media. You can also use an app to help you set and keep to a bedtime.
- Ask others in your life to keep you accountable. If you live with someone, you might want to tell them your sleep goal and ask them to remind you of it if they see you procrastinating going to bed.
- Use rewards.Try a reward system based on meeting your new bedtime goal.For example, if you follow your new bedtime routine for 4 or more nights in a week, give yourself something you have been wishing for, such as an ice cream treat.
- Consider best practices for falling asleep. Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake time should help regulate your sleep cycle, as your body learns what to expect from day-to-day.Avoid practices that can interfere with sleep such as daytime naps, sleeping late, drinking too much caffeine after 2pm or doing something mentally stimulating before bed.Avoid activities such as action-packed videogames, an addictive television show or challenging school projects, all of which will tempt you to keep the activity going, when you need to be allowing yourself to become sleepy.
- Try creating a relaxing bedtime ritual.If you find your mind is busy with worries or distracting thoughts at bedtime, see if you can replace that mental activity with something new.An example could be learning some simple meditation or mindfulness techniques.You can also try quiet music, a small snack or a warm bath at bedtime.If you create a routine you look forward to, you're more likely to keep it up.
- Finally, don't give up!! It may take several change attempts to achieve your goal. If you notice you are not sticking to the original plan, observe why it is not working.The more observant you are of yourself and your behaviour, the easier it will be to come up with potential solutions.
Good luck with setting up a schedule for better and more restful sleep. Your body and mind will thank you. Sweet dreams!
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