If internet memes are anything to go by, we’re not getting enough sleep as a society. We’re all always tired, and we have so many nights of interrupted sleep that it’s impacting stress and anxiety levels. 

How poorly do Americans sleep?

The sleep struggle in America is backed up by studies and stats from institutions such as The American Sleep Association, who predict that over 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders - that's roughly 20% of US residents. So it’s clear that we need some help getting better sleep, likely in both quantity and quality of rest.

How do I get better sleep?

Well, if you are one of the up to 70 million Americans with a sleep disorder there are some natural sleep remedies that you can implement to improve your sleep hygiene and get better rest. 

Sleep hygiene is based on optimizing your environment and behaviors to get a good night's sleep. It also begins with understanding how important sleep is to our well-being. Making it a priority, and shifting our lifestyle and habits to aid in that is how we begin, but what does that look like practice?

1. Develop A Sleep Routine - This is #1 because everything that follows on this list falls under this one. Creating a good sleep routine will help to tell your body that it’s time to shift from Switched-On Daytime Mode to Powered-down night time mode. Everyone's routine may look different, whether it's a skincare routine before tucking yourself into bed, a few pages from your favorite book, or some gentle stretching. Whatever your routine, keep it consistent so your body learns to expect that it's bedtime.
2. Lay Off The Caffeine - It sounds obvious, but it’s here for a reason. Put down caffeinated drinks including coffee, tea, or even soda at least three hours before bed. It takes time for your body to rid itself of the caffeine that you drink so that you can get ready to sleep. If possible, try not to drink any caffeine after midday. Try swapping your regular caffeinated beverages for cozy decaffeinated teas or even a tart cherry juice mocktail for a bedtime drink that tells your body it's time for bed.
3. Start Meditating - Spending even a few minutes before bed meditating or doing breathwork will do wonders to help your body relax and glide effortlessly into sleep mode. Something as simple as a 10-minute meditation for better sleep will help you slow down and set you up for a more restful night's sleep.
4. Drink tart cherry juice for better sleep - Adding tart cherry juice like Cheribundi to your nighttime routine, especially 20 minutes before bed, could do wonders for improving your sleep quality. Tart cherries are naturally high in melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone important in regulating the sleep wake cycle. Studies show that daily consumption of tart cherry juice helps promote deeper and more restful sleep over a placebo trial group. Wilfred Pigeon, Ph.D. directs the Sleep and Neurophysiology Research Lab at the University of Rochester Medical Center. In an interview conducted shortly after one of his research papers was published showing the efficacy of tart cherry juice consumption on improved sleep quality and duration he said, "I haven't been able to find any other food that's been shown to improve sleep in folks with insomnia." In addition, participants drinking tart cherry juice in the study didn't have any negative side effects. "Most medications will have some side effects and the older medications, pretty severe side effects…so the ability to improve sleep with a non-drug agent might be very beneficial for many populations, not only in folks who want to avoid medications, but in people who are on medications already and perhaps several medications," Pigeon added. 
5. Put Down The Electronics - Specifically if you're having trouble falling asleep, reducing your time on your phone, ipad, or computer can help reduce blue light before bed, known to make falling asleep harder. I know it’s hard to put your phone down, but it’s necessary. The blue light of your laptop and phone alone is enough to keep your brain buzzing, let alone the dangers of endlessly scrolling social media into the wee hours of the morning. 

These tips are the basics for improving sleep hygiene and getting better sleep so you have a better morning.