Although most people don't realize this, rest is one of the keys to being successful. By getting a good night's sleep, you feel refreshed and ready for whatever the day might throw at you. After at least eight hours of snoozing, the body is reenergized, you will be less irritated, and your overall mood will be better.

Rather than take a bunch of medication, consider a more holistic approach to getting better sleep. By changing how much and what kind of light you get, you'll find it easier to fall asleep. Getting on a regular sleep schedule is essential. You will also wake up feeling energized. Dogs, for example, have schedules for everything, and they're always on the move. This is definitely not a coincidence.

Finally, there may be something you have to change in the bedroom. At night there might be too much ambient noise. The bedding could be causing discomfort. Another possible thing you can change in the bedroom could be the temperature. After reading this article, you'll likely find it easier to rest at night.

Increase Bright Light Exposure While Reducing Blue Light Exposure

Our bodies, over time, evolved something called a circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is the body's natural clock, and it tells people when to wake up and when to go to bed. As you probably guessed, this clock is light-dependent. The wrong kind of light can also have negative impacts on our ability to go rest.

When people increase the amount of bright light exposure, people's bodies feel as though the day was longer. This can lead to people sleeping longer and better. By making this slight change, you will be more productive.

The best form of bright light for your body is sunlight, because of the vitamin D it provides. If you are unable to add daylight to your daily routine, another good way to get bright light is switching out your light bulbs for brighter ones.

Although warm lights are good for going to bed, blue light is the worst form of light for inducing sleep. Blue light is everywhere, but it's hard to recognize. This form of lighting emits from electronic devices like a tv or whatever you are reading this article on.

If you are going to use electronics at night, consider getting an app to reduce blue light exposure. One such app f.lux. It is available on pc, android, and apple products, and it adjusts the lighting level to the level in the background. At night it also gives your device a warmer light color.

Get on a Sleep Schedule

While growing up, something our bodies craved was a consistent schedule, our bodies while trying to sleep are no different. Consider going to bed and waking up at the same time regularly. If your goal is to go to bed around 10:00 pm and wake up at 6:00 am, and you do that, you start the day with a small victory.

A study was done in 2002 to see how sleep schedules impacted adolescence sleeping habits. The people who were not on a sleep schedule reported sleeping poorly and going to bed later more often than people on a sleep schedule.

These two main differences can be attributed to melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone that tells your body to go to sleep. By disrupting your body's natural rhythm, melatonin levels change. This change can also cause you to stay up later, and you'll wake up tired. This could result in hitting that snooze button on your alarm one too many times, causing you to start the day on the wrong foot.

Create a Bedroom That Encourages Sleep

When going to bed, it's important to consider how temperature, ambient noise, comfort, and light affect your sleep. When Goldilocks was eating her porridge, she chose the porridge that was just right, not too hot and not too cold. Our bodies are kind of like Goldilocks. We want a room that isn't too hot or too cold. Most sleep specialists recommend a room that is in the mid to high 60s.

Noise is another thing that may be keeping you up. It could be something like traffic or dogs barking. If this is the case, think about investing in soundproofing for your room or noise-canceling headphones. 

If you're someone who plays sports or exercises regularly your bed may be the issue. Consider buying a mattress for athletes instead of a regular bed to provide more sound sleep. By purchasing a different bed, you will improve your sleep. Also, purchasing a mattress to improve performance may give you an edge over the competition.

Conclusion

When going to bed, think of yourself as a mountain lion. Get on a regular sleep schedule, stay comfortable while sleeping, and avoid the light. After reading this article, we wish you success in whatever you're trying to do. At the very least, you'll be a better sleeper!