It's the middle of the night, and all you can focus on is the little speck of blue light shining from your TV. It's annoying. It's consuming. It's costing you precious Zs. Your mind begins to race with the upcoming day's list of all the things. You rattle them off in your head, along with how many hours of sleep you stand to get if you fall asleep RIGHT NOW!

We've all struggled with maintaining a balanced sleep regimen. In fact, according to Sleep Foundation, between 30% and 48% of older adults experience insomnia. We have some tips for those that struggle to get the elusive eight hours a night.

Cool it Down

Make sure your bedroom is nice and cool, anywhere between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit. Your body temperature naturally drops during sleep, and if your room is too hot, your body's natural cooling process could be interrupted, causing sweaty discomfort. Keep a fan going all night on the oscillating feature to keep the air circulating. If you have a ceiling fan, reverse its direction. Most ceiling fans automatically circulate cool air down, reversing this will pull hot air upwards.

Another cooling option is changing the type of bedding you have. Cooler fabrics include bamboo, polyester, nylon, and silk. Bedding is known to be expensive, so if you're balling on a budget, stay clear of bamboo sheets.

Power Down

If you have a TV in your room, then you're guilty of watching Forensic Files reruns in a zombie-like haze. Desperate for sleep, but too antsy to relax. The solution to this is simple- TURN OFF THE TV. Televisions emit low light and have a constant glow, which interrupts sleep. If you have become accustomed to falling asleep with the tv on, see if yours has a timer option and put it on for the shortest time until it turns off automatically.

Another way to power down before bed is to put your phone away. Most smartphones have a feature that allows you to set a bedtime. These features will put your phone on Do Not Disturb, lower the backlight and will pretty much wake up to a time you set it to do so. This is easier said than done, because plenty of people like to play games or read articles to ease their mind before slumber, but this often has the opposite effect. If you can, place your phone face down to eliminate the urge further. Those games and articles aren't going anywhere and will be there after you've had a full nights rest. We believe in you!

No Food Allowed

This is a toughie because we all often get that familiar grumble in our tummies right before bedtime. If you have to eat right before you go to bed, choose wisely. A bowl of cereal is a perfect bedtime snack because of its components- cereal and milk- both are rich in minerals, vitamins, and calcium, which can actually promote sleep. Try to avoid large meals before bed. Your body needs time to digest beforehand and if you have large meals before laying down, you may end up with some acid reflux or heartburn. The best practice is to eat dinner at least 2 to 3 hours before bed. Don't bring the deliciousness into the bedroom! The food smells will keep you awake and angry!

Calm Yourself Down

There are some urban legends out there saying if you have a drink or smoke before bed, they'll help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Well, they're WRONG! Contrary to this belief, things that contain alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine may help you fall asleep easier, but they all contain chemical compounds that actually prevent uninterrupted sleep once they wear off. And once you're up ... you're up. If you have a difficult time winding down, try meditating apps, like Calm. Calm has multiple settings for calming down your mind and body. You can also try listening to brown noise on a loop with Spotify or other streaming services.

Another type of sleep deprivation that amps you up is working out. Exercising in moderation is recommended by nearly all doctors for those who are, and we can't argue with that. However, going too hard in the gym hours before bed will make it more difficult to fall and stay asleep. Exercising releases hormones known as endorphins. Along with endorphins, you also get a dose of dopamine. These hormones combine for a euphoric feeling and increase oxygen to the brain. All of these are good things, but you have to take your nighttime workouts easy for these benefits.

Get Up and Stay Up

Whatever you do ... DON'T HIT SNOOZE! When your alarm goes off, get up. No matter how much you don't want to, your future self will thank you. If you're tempted to hit snooze or snooze often, relocate your alarm clock. This will force you out of bed to get the darn thing to stop. Avoid using your phone as an alarm clock and opt for something you can see at a glance, like an old-school clock radio.

In Conclusion

Sleep is paramount to the health of your body. Each of us has a requirement for sleep and can't live without it. Hopefully, we were able to shed some light on what may be keeping us up at night. If you're interested in more reading you can check out this blog post about reducing noise in apartments.

Your Resident Relations Specialist, Bri