In part one of this article I talked about sleep, its importance and how bad quality sleep can impact your overall quality of life.

But what is it that you can actually do today, to make falling asleep easier and get the best quality sleep possible?

In this article, I’m going to give you 4 power tips that I have started to use myself to start improving my sleep.

But first, I'm going to take you quickly through the natural daily human cycle.

The Circadian Rhythm

Humans are typically active during the day and sleep at night.

Some people say that they are more awake and alert in the morning and I'd probably say that of myself.

These are the so-called “morning people” and quite frankly, there aren’t many of them but I like to think I’m one of them!

On the flipside though, you have the so-called “night owls” which tend to fall asleep later during the early AM.

The thing that governs this, is what we refer to as the “Circadian rhythm”, more commonly known as the biological clock of the human body.

This biological clock regulates the secretion of certain hormones that in turn regulate appetite, satiety, hormone production and have a significant impact on most bodily functions.

In terms of sleep though, here’s how this goes:

Upon waking up, sunlight goes through the eyes and signals the brain to produce serotonin.

Serotonin is the main daytime neurotransmitter that makes you feel awake, alert and aware of your environment.

Think of it this way - sunlight basically signals the body it is time to secrete hormones that will make you feel awake.

As the day goes by and darkness falls, the reverse thing happens - the absence of light signals your body to secrete melatonin.

Melatonin is the nighttime neurotransmitter, which makes you feel drowsy and sleepy.

This of course is just one of the mechanisms that induce a drowsy state and it is linked to many other substances and hormones that regulate your sleep cycle.

The reason why this information is important for you, is that it basically tells you that your body is intricately connected and (supposed to be) tuned to the day-night cycle of the planet you live on.

The closer you get to that natural rhythm, the better your sleep will be.

Now let’s have a look at my 4 actionable tips to help you improve your sleep, starting - TODAY!

4 Steps To Master Your Biological Clock

We all know how exhausting it can be to have chronically bad sleep.

For this reason, let me suggest 4 actionable things you can start doing today to improve your sleep!

1. Set Up A Schedule

Make a bedtime schedule for yourself and go to bed at the same time every night.

Once you set up your sleeping schedule, try to stick to it even on weekends (challenging I know!)

In doing this however, you have to make sure that you are not making drastic changes to your sleep schedule.

This way, your body can adjust naturally and seamlessly.

For instance, if you are a night owl and go to bed at 3-4am, start off by going to bed 1-2 hours earlier at around 1-2am and slowly work your way towards midnight.

Try to set a wake time and wake up at the same time every morning, in addition to going to bed at the same time.

If you get enough sleep, you should be able to wake up automatically without the use of an alarm clock.

So, if you really need an alarm to get out of bed on time, you may want to try going to bed earlier and to get the most out of your new sleep schedule, make sure your bed is as comfy as possible.

2. Reduce Noise

People's noise sensitivity varies but generally the rule is that the quieter your room is, the better your sleep will be.

This isn’t only valid for hearing, but for all your other senses as well - the less information in your sleeping environment, the easier and better you sleep.

My children are all young adults now and come and go at different times. Me being a light sleeper myself, I hear the door open and close with each person which quite often can disrupt my sleep so I'm now trialling earplugs to see if I can sleep more soundly.

So besides noise, consider switching off any TVs or monitors in your room; you'll need as much darkness and silence as possible to get the most out of your 7-8 hours of sleep.

Think of it this way - as you drift off to sleep, you get away from the conscious mind which perceives and interprets information from the environment, so make sure there is little to no such information!

3. Set Your Alarm Tone

As I mentioned before, if you get enough sleep, you should be able to wake up naturally.

If you must have an alarm, try to avoid the excruciating, irritating alarm tones and instead choose a more relaxing melody to wake up to.

The more you tune into your natural human sleep patterns, the easier waking up will become and you may never hit snooze again!!

4. Pre-bed Nutrition

One important factor when it comes to sleep, is pre-bed nutrition. I have been known in the past to have a little dark chocolate close to bedtime and then what do you know.....WIDE AWAKE!!

In order to maximise the quality of your sleep, you must make sure that you are not consuming heavy meals or caffeine (even in chocolate) around bedtime.

Your best bet would generally be to consume your last big meal within 2 hours before bed.

If you are hungry before sleep, rely on something light, that contains slow-digesting protein, such as a casein supplement.

This will allow your body to get some good night-time protein, while not being heavily engaged in digesting.

Think of it this way - sleep is the time when the body ramps up the use of the nutrients you gave it during the day.

The human body is in an intimate connection with the Earth and its day-night cycles.

Our ultimate goal would be to synchronise with that cycle, while still considering other aspects like nutrition and environment.

In doing all of the above, we are greatly increasing the chances of fighting off insomnia and getting the best out of our sleep.

A good night’s sleep will have an impact on your overall quality of life, so don’t ignore it!

It's early days for me but I’m finding that my new sleep schedule is helping a lot.

Let me know if you try it or have any questions!

Shereen x