2019 New Year's Resolution: A Good Night's Sleep - First 31 Days Checklist

2019 New Year's Resolution: A Good Night's Sleep - First 31 Days Checklist


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The busy holiday month of December has rushed by in a flurry of celebration and gifts, family and food, and in some climes, flakes of snow. Now it is time to make a New Year's Resolution for 2019 and completely reinvent yourself! Okay, that is too much pressure, but a resolution is a great opportunity to improve your health and live a happier, more fulfilled life. This year make a resolution to get better sleep each and every night by following the SHEEX 31-day checklist to better sleep hygiene. Make a vow not to be a CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) statistic -- one in three adults do not get enough sleep. If you can perfect your sleep habits by logging the recommended seven to nine hours per night, you will experience a myriad of health benefits, including better mental health, stronger cardiovascular health, and a longer lifespan. Follow our checklist to cement a better sleep pattern by the time January comes to an end.  

  • Assess your current sleep and determine your sleep goals. Answer these questions: Are you getting enough sleep? Do you have trouble falling asleep? Are you waking up frequently during the night because you are too hot or cold? Do you feel rested when you wake up? Find yourself hitting the wall during the day?
  • Buy an inexpensive notebook or journal. This will become your sleep journal so,¬†list your sleep goals, jot down different nighttime routines and note how you slept. ¬†You will begin to identify specific habits that lend themselves to a more restful and restorative night sleep.
  • Stop drinking caffeine afternoon. Otherwise, you will not be able to fall asleep.
  • Cover your clock, phone, and computer. Take away the distraction of screens lighting up during the night to limit distractions.
  • Research your sleep chronotype. Find out your optimal sleep conditions and adjust your nightly routine accordingly.
  • Evaluate your pillow. If your pillow is old, lumpy, or retains heat, switch to a SHEEX ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE Sleeper Pillow that regulates heat transfer to keep your head cool throughout the night.
  • You made it through the first week! Take a day off and reflect on what habits improve your sleep. Try to incorporate these habits into your routine going forward.
  • Set an exercise goal. Get the blood pumping with a weekly workout schedule; it will help you fall asleep faster at night. Assess your schedule and try to exercise for at least half-an-hour per day.
  • Start allotting eight hours for sleep every night. Turn the lights out eight hours before your alarm is set to wake you up the next day.
  • Skip alcohol late in the evening. Alcohol disrupts sleep cycles, making you tired in the morning.
  • Try our favorite yoga poses for sleep as part of your nighttime routine. Yoga and stretching help connect your mind and body for a more restful, relaxed state of being.
  • Offload a to-do list before bedtime. Psychologically this helps remove your stressors from your mind ‚Äî take an 8-hour break and return to them the next day.
  • Read a book instead of watching an episode of television. Bright blue light from your television inhibits the production of melatonin, which makes it harder for you to fall asleep.
  • That is week two! Take 20 minutes to evaluate your sleep journal and decide what habits to keep, and which do not work for you.
  • Slip into something comfy after dinner. SHEEX 828 Motion Sleepwear is unbelievably soft and delivers advanced thermoregulation to help you avoid waking up soaked in sweat throughout the night.
  • Make a sleep budget. Take a minute to assess your sleep environment and determine how much you can spend on upgraded sleepwear, bedding, and room changes.¬† Prioritize your needs. If you have the means switch to a SHEEX PERFORMANCE Cooling Mattress that keeps your core cool with continuous airflow.
  • Drink more water in the morning so you can taper off your water consumption in the last three hours before bedtime. This will help you avoid trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Track your water intake to ensure you are hydrating sufficiently on a daily basis.
  • Do deep abdominal breathing exercises right before going to bed. Deep breathing reduces anxiety and tension in the body that can prohibit you from falling asleep.
  • Write a list of accomplishments. Depending on your personality type the to-do list may have made you more stressed. Focus on the positive accomplishments, big and small, so you can sleep in a mindset of positivity and perspective.
  • Switch your sheets. The ultra-comfortable performance fabrics of SHEEX ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE Sheets feature innovative breathability and moisture-wicking technology for maximum sleeping comfort.
  • Week three complete! Has your quality of sleep improved? Spend 20 minutes with your sleep journal to determine which habits to keep moving forward.
  • Take a warm bath an hour before bed. Lower body temperatures are shown to facilitate deeper sleep.
  • Download a sleep app to track your sleep habits. Apps like Sleep Cycle or Sleep Better will provide more information about your body and brain activity during the night.
  • Switch up your exercise schedule. If you have committed to an exercise plan one study showed that doing cardio in the morning is conducive to sleep, while another study demonstrated that lifting weights in the early evening also helps you sleep better.
  • Try some night time herbal tea before you go to bed. The right type of tea can condition you to fall asleep faster.
  • Use bedding that is designed for both warm and cold climates. The SHEEX Studio-Tech Sleep System features dual-sided sheets to accommodate fluctuating temperatures.
  • Track your daily exercise on a Fitbit. Hold yourself accountable by tracking your steps and progress. Set an alarm so you remember to squeeze in a workout at home at least 90 minutes before bed if you do not make it to the gym.
  • Wow, you have made it through four weeks! Review your sleep journal for 20 minutes and make the appropriate changes. Finish strong with our final two tips to get a great night's sleep.
  • Meditate for fifteen minutes. A clinical trial at a medical research center indicated that meditating before bed is one of the most effective ways to clear your mind.
  • Feel hot or restless at night? Intentionally avoid spicy and sugary foods during and after dinner. See if this settles your system for more consistent sleep.
  • Catch up with an old friend. A study demonstrated that talking to someone you care about greatly puts you at ease. Relax your emotions by calling a dear friend or family member you miss in the evening to reconnect. Even better, sit down and take a minute to craft a handwritten note and send it via the mail. You can also tell them about your progress over these 31 days!

With this convenient 31-day checklist, you can transform your sleep quality with SHEEX performance bedding and make the most of your 2019 New Year's resolution to get a good night's sleep, all year long.

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