If you’re having trouble sleeping, you’re certainly not alone. It’s estimated that as many as 70 million Americans suffer from sleep deprivation!  

If you make your rest a priority this year, you’ll start seeing changes within a few days and continue to feel better and better all year. 

First, start with setting an intention of when you want to be in bed. For example, if you want 8 hours of sleep, and you need to wake up at 6:00, plan to be ready for sleep by 10:00. This means you’ll want to start getting ready for bed by 9:00. Then, set yourself up for success by backing into the rest of your schedule so it will support your bedtime intention. 

You can increase your chances of restful sleep by exercising regularly. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, 30 minutes of daily moderate aerobic exercise increases the amount of deep sleep you’ll get. This is the level of sleep where your brain and body rejuvenate themselves. To greatly increase your physical restoration during that deep sleep, I recommend drinking RSP Nutrition’s AminoLean Recovery before getting a good night's sleep on exercise days to help expedite your muscles’ repair and growth. You’ll also have the added benefits of boosting immunity and hydration from the supplement.

It will also be important to establish a bedtime routine. Start getting ready at least an hour before lights out. This may include having a bath (not too hot though as this will impede falling asleep), getting into your pajamas, having a warm drink, and reading a book.

Here are some more tips to improve your sleep:

• Eliminate/reduce caffeine and alcohol

• Don’t have caffeine within 7-8 hours of bedtime

• Turn off electronic devices 1-2 hours before bed

• Finish dinner 3-4 hours before bedtime

• Drink a calming tea like chamomile in the evening

• Sleep in a totally dark room or wear an eye mask

• Set your bedroom at a comfortable temperature - 68F has been found to be optimal

• Exercise as early in the day as possible

• Take a soothing bath or shower at night

• Listen to soft music before bed to help wind down

• Use relaxing breathing techniques or meditation

• Use white noise at bedtime – a fountain or fan

• Relax and read before bed

• Do yoga or Tai Chi or stretching at night to de-stress

• Write down a list of things you want to get done tomorrow or put it on your calendar (dump your brain of details, so you can relax)

• Use a sleep supplement like melatonin or RSP Nutrition’s Z-Elite, which contains melatonin along with a blend of Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate, and Vitamin B6 to support anabolic hormone levels within a normal range and promote restful sleep