7 Tips For Getting Som More Sleep

This blog post is sponsored by Som Sleep. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I LOVE sleep! Who doesn’t? I love the feeling of getting up in the morning and being well rested. Recently, though, I have been experiencing some difficulty with falling asleep. I toss, turn, and just wait for sleep to come over me. You know how that goes, right? We’ve all experienced the frustration. Well, I say no more! I am resolving to have better sleep habits for better all night sleep that will give me a well-rested feeling and tons of energy.

1. Go to bed by 10:30, at the latest

Honestly, I didn’t think this would be that hard for me to start incorporating into my lifestyle, after all, I’m not a night owl. But I was surprised by how often I put off sleep to scan social media or continue reading a book on my phone. By the time I was ready to fall asleep it was 11:30. However, when I actually went to bed at 10:30, I did find that I fell asleep faster and stayed asleep.

2. Get into a routine

A bedtime routine that is practiced daily signals the brain that it is time to unwind and prepare for sleep. Perhaps you already have a routine as well. My includes showering, skincare, brushing my teeth, and then checking my phone before I go to bed. However, and I’ll go into this next, I need to get in the habit of ditching my phone so I can go to bed by 10:30pm and avoid bright lights.

3. Dim the lights

As I get ready to start my bedtime routine, I turn off my bright overhead lights and plug in my softer Christmas lights. The reason for this is, again, we’re signaling the brain that it is getting time to rest. The part that I need to work on, as I mentioned before, is ditching my phone and it’s bright light and the stimulation that comes with it.

4. Avoid stimulants

No caffeine, and no excessive sugar before bed! We are trying to wind down and foods and drinks that contain caffeine and sugar are only going to have the opposite effect. Another, non-chemical related stimulant is your phone. The stimuli from social media is noted by many scientific journals and it will keep you up and make it harder for you to fall asleep.

5. Drink Som

Nope, that is not a spelling error! Som Sleep is a bedtime aid that is non-habit forming. I pop the blue can 30 minutes before bed, and then I’m out like a light! I fall asleep faster, stay asleep, and wake up FULL of energy! Som is certified by the National Science Foundation for Sport and is drug-free, vegan, non-carbonated, gluten-free, low calorie, and has zero artificial colors and flavors. In fact, if you were wondering what Som tastes like, it’s a cross between green tea, pomagrant, and blueberry. There are two formulations of Som: original and sugar-free. Original does have 8 grams of sugar. However, the magnesium, vitamin B6, L-theanine, and GABA work together to enhance your natural melatonin levels.

6. Exercise daily

Exercising 30-60 minutes daily is great for tiring out your body. Just don’t workout right before bed because that can have the opposite effect and make it harder for you to fall asleep.

7. Prep your room

To fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up well rested there are also some environment conditions that also need to be met. Ideally, your room will be cool with any light surface covered as much as possible. Not going to lie though, in the middle of a Summer heatwave this can be incredibly difficult. However, there are sweat-wicking and breathable sheets and comforters out there that can keep you cool all Summer long! I recently picked up a white Nautica cotton comforter from Marshall’s and a sheet set from Peach Skin Sheets that is light-weight enough to make sure I stay comfortable all night long.

#getsomsleep is available at the Bridge Street Market in Grand Rapids, MI and Walmarts everywhere.