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10 Hacks to Help You Get Better Sleep

Your complete guide to getting the best sleep ever, so you can wake up feeling energetic and refreshed — every day.

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Unplug

Monitors give off blue light that keeps your brain from producing melatonin — the potent antioxidant that helps you to sleep. Throughout the day, we’re constantly overstimulated by our computers, social networks, cell phones and TVs. That’s exactly why it’s important to clear out all electronics from your bedroom. At first, I thought having a TV in my bedroom would be relaxing (I love watching my shows with my hubby), but the opposite turned out to be true. Instead of being tired and ready for bed for bed, I ended up feeling more awake and stimulated.

Since bedrooms should really only be a place for sleeping, I decided to make it my own personal gadget-free oasis. I moved my TV, phone and laptop into the office, so I wouldn’t be tempted to watch TV or check my email before bed. I also decided to follow a tech curfew, giving myself an hour before bed that I use to unwind without electronics. Instead, I used that time to relax, take a bath, read, and write in my gratitude journal.

If you really can’t rip yourself away from your screens, make sure to find the night mode setting on your device that removes the blue light in the evenings (here it is for Windows, Android, iPhone, and Mac) or getting blue light filtering glasses if you’re watching TV.

10 Hacks to Help You Get Better Sleep

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Because you shouldn’t be. In fact, you should embrace it. My second step in creating a peaceful sanctuary was to ensure that my room was pitch black. Light actually tells your brain, “Hey, you should probably be awake!” The darker your room, the better your sleep.

Most hotel rooms have blackout curtains, but if your bedroom at home doesn’t it’s a good idea to invest in some heavy curtains to block out external street light. Even the glow of your iPad, smartphone and other electronics can keep you up, but that shouldn’t be a problem if you’ve already eliminated them from your room.

As a backup, I always keep an eye mask on-hand. They’re great at home, when traveling, on airplanes, etc.

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Avatar of Hilary Rowland

A writer, artist, and designer since she was young enough to put pencil to paper, Hilary taught herself code and created Urbanette when she was a teenager. Currently, she lives in Monte Carlo, but spent the past decade living in NYC, still considers herself a New Yorker, and visits regularly. She's always traveling, looking for hot new topics, destinations, and life hacks to bring to Urbanette readers.

Reader Discussion: 63 Comments

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  2. Avatar of Geneva Walton

    Geneva Walton

    Eating a lot will give you a better sleep. But when you wake up you will feel terrible. For best sleep experience, Quit your job so that you can sleep for how long you want without worrying about going to work tomorrow.

  3. Avatar of Blanche Martina

    Blanche Martina

    Such helpful article! Really knowledgeable. I shared this article with my Mom cause she needs this after all the stress!

  4. Avatar of Arlen Given

    Arlen Given

    I tried this! I seriously got 9 hours of sleep which was the best sleep I ever had in years. THANK YOU HILARY

  5. Avatar of Brett Lee

    Brett Lee

    Before going to bed, my wife has this habit of spraying our room with some air freshener. I could suggest she tries to get some lavender scent, maybe using a diffuser.

    • Avatar of Hilary Rowland

      Just make sure that you use real essential oils in a diffuser, or an air freshener that is made using real essential oils and no chemicals. A lot of chemical scents are toxic and could make sleeping harder.

  6. Avatar of Alena Martin

    It’s true that having fresh flowers can help you relax. It gives you some sense of calmness whenever you look at them!

  7. Avatar of Nataliya Smith

    Nataliya Smith

    Comfy pillows! I want to get for myself since I love having many pillows in my bed. I can’t sleep if it was less than four 🙁

  8. Avatar of Jurik Smith

    Jurik Smith

    I can’t do the electronic-free bedroom. Well, I will have at least a TV in my room.

  9. Avatar of Juli Woods

    Juli Woods

    I never thought about trying Cherry Juice! Might get one from the market later!

  10. Avatar of Josephine Murphy

    I don’t think I can do this on a Sunday night ‘coz I might end up getting late for Monday because of having too much of good sleep! Haha

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