Adjusting your bedtime can be a very gradual process.
Getting to sleep early can be a challenge because often, the more you want it to happen, the harder it is to relax and drift away. The amount of sleep you get can drastically affect your mood, energy levels, productivity, and overall health. Luckily, the amount of sleep you get and the time you are able to go to sleep isn't completely out of your hands. There are several concrete things you can do to work towards the sleep schedule of your liking.
Instructions
1. Avoid caffeine and other stimulants, alcohol, and large meals. Though alcohol may make you drowsy at first, it is actually known to disrupt sleep. Heavy meals may interrupt your sleep, so eat your last meal a couple of hours before bed. If you are very hungry, however, that will also keep you up, so have a light, easily-digested snack if you find your stomach grumbling uncomfortably. Caffeine can stop you from falling asleep, and should be avoided for several hours before you want to fall asleep, or more if you are sensitive to its effects.
2. Expend enough energy during the day. Regular exercise can help you control your sleep cycle better by relieving stress, which is a major source of sleep problems. Don't exercise too close to bedtime, because this can have the opposite effect of stimulating you. The recommended amount of cardiovascular exercise is 30 minutes 3 times a week.
3. Relax and avoid stimulation for a couple of hours before bedtime. This means turning off the television and computer and perhaps taking a hot bath and reading. Try a few deep breathing exercises. Relaxation will relieve stress, and in a relaxed state you are more likely to be able to fall asleep faster.
4. Make your bedroom conducive to sleep. Get into the habit of associating your bedroom with sleep by performing other activities (especially stressful ones like working) in a different room, if possible. Additionally, make the temperature and bedding as comfortable as possible. Use a sound machine, air conditioner or fan to create "white noise" that can block outside noises and promote relaxation.
5. Adjust your circadian clock. Your circadian rhythm is a cycle that can affect sleep-wake cycles. It is based on sunlight. If your circadian clock is out of rhythm, you will find yourself having difficulty waking up in the morning, when the human body is designed to wake up. You may also stay alert well into the night, when the human body is designed to rest. By going to bed 30 minutes earlier every night and waking up at the same time every morning, you can reset your cycle so that you are ready to wake up in the morning and are tired by nighttime.
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