5 Tips For A Better Night Of Sleep

Did you know 1 in 4 U.S. adults said they have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep most nights? Even more alarming, 68% struggle with sleep at least once a week.

These statistics come from a 2016 Consumer Report which highlights a problem that likely hits close to home for you or someone you know. Included in the report are insights from Nathaniel Watson, M.D., co-director of the University of Washington Sleep Center in Seattle and president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. According to Dr. Watson, “Most people don’t function well with less than 7 hours of sleep and regularly getting less than that amount can, over time, harm your health.

Continued sleep shortages contribute to depression, heart disease, lowered immunity, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, among other ills.” That’s why BATCH has rounded up our own list of the top 5 tips to create a healthier, more consistent night of sleep.

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If you’ve heard this one before, that’s because it’s generally the number one tip all sleep experts give. It’s not always easy to commit to a set schedule, especially if your current job or lifestyle allows you to wake up at different times on different days. However, an easy way to become more consistent is by utilizing the Bedtime feature now on both iPhones and Android devices. If using an iPhone, you can follow these instructions to help build a routine, remind yourself before bedtime, and even analyze your sleep. There’s also a myriad of sleep apps available if you want a more robust experience.

Although it’s nice to unwind by watching TV in bed, researchers have found that the light emitted from TVs, laptops, phones, and other screens suppress melatonin in humans. Furthermore, performing other activities such as working or eating while in bed can be detrimental to your night of rest. This is because the mind associates different settings with different activities. To fix this, simply move your binge watching session to the couch, work from your kitchen table, or read in the living room. Keep your sleeping space reserved for sleeping.

This one can be especially useful if you find your mind wandering off once you hit the pillow. Anxiety, boredom, and general restlessness can keep your mind racing during precious sleeping hours. Sleepfoundation.org recommends trying meditation because of how easy and accessible it is. A quick Google or YouTube search will give you plenty of free advice on how to begin meditating. This short 5 minute video explains different meditation methods and can help you get started today!

A study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine demonstrates that cannabinoids significantly reduced symptoms of insomnia. The key here is to utilize a full-spectrum CBD product, like BATCH’s Dream tincture. Full-spectrum products make use of many different natural and legal cannabinoids, not just CBD. This produces what is called the Entourage Effect. This is the notion that all cannabinoids (and other hemp compounds) working together are far superior than any one in isolation. This synergistic effect and its relation to CBD users has been studied extensively by Dr. Ethan Russo. For more on the differences between full-spectrum and CBD-isolate products, check out this BATCH blog post dedicated to the topic.

While a nap during the day might boost evening productivity, it can also keep you up at night while you’re trying to fall asleep. Experts at the Mayo Clinic suggest that if you do nap, you should limit it to 30 minutes. Think about it this way: If the average adult needs 8 hours of sleep each day, napping for an hour or two during the day takes away that time from your nighttime sleep schedule.

BATCH is always seeking new ways to create healthy habits. We’d love to hear from you which tips work best, or if you have any other advice for getting some shut eye!