1) Turn off blue light sources 60-90 minutes before bed

Blue light sources include computers, TV’s, e-readers, cell phones, alarm clocks, even the little blue light on your bedroom humidifier! Cover them up! Why blue light? Well, as the evening creeps in, your melatonin levels are building to help you sleep. This is all part of your natural circadian rhythms and important for quality sleep. These blue light sources zap those melatonin levels down to nothing! Other things you can do is to get room darkening shades to block out outside lights as well.

If getting some work done after your kids go to bed on the computer is a must, (like in my world), there are some things you can do to help yourself out…

Download f.lux, a free software that automatically dims blue light electronics at night, appropriate to your time zone.
BluBlocker Sunglasses . Get some. These do just what they are called, blocks blue light. These are also great to wear around places like your job, schools or Walmart where fluorescent light affects your brain and makes you and your kids crazy! See this article: Adverse Affects Caused by Florescent Light.

Read more on blue light and sleep in the article Why My Son’s Don’t Get Blue

2) Leave your worries behind

This is much easier said than done but, take 5-10 minutes before you hit the sack to write down your troubles. Then take a minute and write down 3 positive things about that day. That could be anything as small as- I made my coffee perfectly today.

3) Paint your walls blue

Okay, so no blue light before bed but a blue room? Yes, aside from blue being a tranquil, calming, soothing color causing the body to produce calming chemicals, people got more sleep when they slept in blue rooms than when they slept in rooms painted other colors according to a Travelodge Survey.

4) Get Comfy

Get your room cool, dark and quiet and make sure you have comfortable bed items.

5) Get Physical

Daytime activity and exercise helps you fall asleep faster and sleep deeper. But, if you exercise too close to bedtime, it may energize you and you won’t fall asleep!

6) No caffeine after 2pm

Caffeine is well known to cause insomnia. If you are having sleep issues, make sure you cut the caffeine at least 6 hours before bed or by 2 pm.

7) Stick to a schedule!

Go to bed and get up at the same time everyday. This helps your body to establish sleep patterns. If you are having trouble falling asleep, follow rule # 8.

8) Follow the 20 minute rule

If you have been tossing and turning in bed for 20 minutes or more, get out of bed, and do something relaxing like listening to music or reading. Once you start getting tired, hit the sack.

9) If you need a bit more help for a good quality sleep, try a supplement like Doc Parsley’s sleep cocktail before bed.

I personally don’t always like to take drinks as pills are faster to pop but this was pretty good and I found it very helpful. If I don’t take this I will take components separately or even simply take about 400 mg of magnesium citrate 30 minutes before bed.