Product Info: Serena & Lily Bed, Julia B Bed Linens, Anthropologie Nighstands, Arianna Belle Decorative Pillows, Vintage Lamps

Thomas and I are always trying to get as much accomplished everyday as possible. We’ve found that we are actually able to achieve more not by staying up into the wee hours of the morning, but by not wasting time and ensuring that we get a full night’s rest. We’ve put together some of our top tips to attain a great sleep and recharge your batteries for the next morning.

Sleeping Tips

Out with the bad, in with the good

The Bad

Cut your caffeine consumption – If you are having a rough go at sleeping well, start a diary of your caffeine consumption. Simply acknowledging the amount of coffee, tea and soda ingested will inform you if you need to cut your caffeine consumption. If you do this, try substituting with water or herbal tea.

No Cell Phones in bed – You can easily waste 30+ minutes on your phone while laying in bed at night and in the morning. One good step to avoid this is to plug in your phone somewhere other than the bedside. This also forces you to get up immediately to turn off your alarm.

The Good

Prep for Bedtime – I have a routine that I like to stick to every night before getting in bed. My pre-bed routine includes a few different natural remedies like herbal teas (chamomile and mint are my favorite) and aromas like lavender. It also includes changing into PJs, washing and moisturizing my face, and brushing my teeth. This preparation for bedtime reminds my body to start winding down so I can fall asleep faster once my head hits the pillow.

Read a book – I’ve found that trying to read when I’m drowsy, but still restless, helps me fall asleep because it gets my mind focused away from trying to fall asleep, and onto something else.

Set a schedule and stick to it

One thing that Thomas and I did about six months ago was decide to make working out a major priority. Working out in the middle or end of the day, however, proved too problematic for our busy work schedules, so we were left with early mornings. In order to get our minimum needed sleep, that meant being in bed no later than 11pm. This forced us to readjust some of our routines and, most importantly, cut out non-productive activities like staying up for hours watching TV and scrolling endlessly through Instagram.

Hardest/Most Important Work First

Our work can build up and, if you are like me, it’s probably the single thing that keeps me from getting in to bed on time. A few months back, Thomas had suggested that we start addressing our most important or hardest task first thing in the morning. That way, by the end of the day, even if we still have a few tasks left to be done, we can rest easy, knowing that these items can be addresses the next morning.

New Mattress, Bedding and PJs

After almost 15 years with the same mattress, Thomas and I purchased a new Tempur-Pedic Mattress and sheets from my friend Jessie Black’s store. I also got new silk PJs. Now, getting into bed is a dream. Making these simple changes has meant that getting enough deep sleep is no longer an issue.