Sleep Management Tips

One of the questions I have been asked in various forms is how do I manage my sleep? This is something that has taken a while for me to get in the habit of.  Hopefully I can share some insight on the sleep management tips and strategies that work for me.

First, It’s important to me to get between 7-8 hours of sleep a night. I notice with any more or less sleep, I have less energy and don’t feel my best.  The time I go to sleep each night depends on what my morning workout is and how much time I need. I change my alarms every day, but it helps maximize my time. If I can get an extra 15 minutes of sleep, I’ll take it!

I am a planner.  I talked about this a little in this post. I try to plan out my afternoons at least a day or two ahead (or more), so that I can make the most of my time at home and with Colton.  This means, I know exactly what I am going to do after work almost every day.  Of course there are days when things come up that I can’t control, or I spontaneously decide to do something, but most days, I plan.

A sample weekday afternoon:

4:15-5:00- afternoon workout

5:00-5:15- shower, get in comfy clothes

5:15-5:45- make dinner

5:45-6:15- eat/clean up dinner

6:15-6:45- straighten up/plan for tomorrow

6:45-9:00- free time (blog/social media/TV/movies/etc.) usually this is time spent with Colton. Either we are spending intentional time together or sitting together watching TV working on our computers together).

9:00-10:00- prepare for bed. Ideally I am asleep by 9:45. I try to go by the rule of no electronics/bright screens right before bed.  This is my journal/prayer/Bible/ quiet time.

A good mattress is key! Spend your money on a good, comfy mattress. We have a King Koil Enclave. I promise this makes a big difference.

When my room is clean, I sleep better.  Decluttering is an important part of my daily routine. I even spray my pillows with pillow mist. To be honest, I use the lotions and bath oils too. It is probably all psychological but I do sleep better with these scents.

Although this is my typical sleep management routine, it is not every night.  There are nights I stay up “way past my bedtime.”, I saw the “midnight” (sometimes 8:00 the night before) showing of every Hunger Games movie. This year, I have tickets to all Dallas Summer Musicals and I don’t get home until almost 11 pm. Since Colton and I are in the wedding industry, we have the privilege of attending really amazing parties.  Unfortunately, these parties are always on week nights because we ding industry friends work on the weekends. Once a month a group of friends and I have ladies’ nights, and sometimes we spend so much time laughing and talking we lose track of time.

Yes, there are several reasons I stay up past my bedtime and not stick with my typical schedule. However, I have also had to learn how to say no. I can’t do everything, and I have to weigh out my options. I can’t say yes to everything, and unfortunately this means sometimes Colton goes to concerts by himself or takes a friend. On the other hand, I can’t be so strict that I don’t allow myself  any leeway at all.

Sleep Management Strategies Summarized:

1. Get 7-8 hours of sleep
2. Plan
3. Good mattress
4. Declutter
5. Say no

Hopefully these sleep management tips have been helpful. I would love to hear what you do to help you get a good nights’ sleep or if you tried any of these.

For more information about sleep, why it’s important and how it affects you, check out this article.

Top photo by Tyler+Lindsey Photography