16.
“How you get to sleep is 90% dictated by the actions you take on the same day. The 10% of the actual getting to sleep isn’t really that big a deal, it’s the rest of the day that sets your circadian rhythm, tiredness levels, and mental state.”
“Morning
• Get up early. Do not lie in, even if you’re really tired. Early is pre-6 a.m. I get up at 5:25 a.m. every day. This may take a little getting used to, but after a few weeks, your body will adjust, and you will no longer be tired because you’ll be getting to sleep really easily in the evening.
• As soon as you wake up, expose yourself to sunlight, blue light, or bright lights, as soon as possible for at least 20 minutes, preferably longer.
• Drink 500-600ml cold water as soon as you wake, take a vitamin D supplement.
• Do not drink anything with caffeine for at least one hour after waking, this might sound counterintuitive, but you want your body to regulate your cortisol levels, not the caffeine
• Light exercise. I possibly go for a 30-45 minute walk (which you can do now you’ve added an extra hour or two to your morning), but at the very least stretch for 20 minutes.
Daytime
• Stop drinking anything with caffeine in it by 3 p.m.
• Do not eat anything three hours before you want to go to sleep.
Bedtime
• Do not drink anything one and a half hours before you want to go to sleep.
• Reduce, or if possible completely eliminate, phone/laptop/computer/TV/tablet screens one and a half hours before you want to go to sleep. The key things you’re doing here are reducing your exposure to blue light from the screens and winding down your brain.
• Keep lights as dim as possible and expose yourself to red light. I use Philips Hue LED strip in my bedroom and living room.
• Use some sort of menthol product on your pillow or forehead to help open your nasal passages. I use Tiger Balm on my temples.
Other notes
• Keep to a routine. Mine is 10:45 p.m. to 5:25 a.m. With this routine, I intend to be asleep by 11 p.m. and out of bed by 5:35 a.m., which is a little short on sleep time, but I make up by having a lie in once every two weeks.
• Doing this during wintertime is much harder than doing this during summer.
I hope this helps someone!”
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ravenishak/best-sleep-tips
