Feeling a bit fatigued? Getting more sleep can boost your energy levels. Sleep is so important on so many levels and is crucial to boosting your energy.

Sleep helps fight stress, keeps your cortisol levels under control (which helps maintain a healthy weight), repairs and rejuvenates tissues and cells and just makes you feel good. Most experts recommend 7-9 hours a night, but how much do you actually get?

Our lifestyles can make it difficult to get the proper amount of sleep every night. Establish a good bedtime routine to get the most out of your sleep.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Cut off caffeine by 4 p.m. It takes four to six hours for the average adult to metabolize caffeine, no matter how much you drink. For children, it’s metabolized even slower.
• Avoid alcohol before bed. While having a drink right before bed may help you fall asleep initially, research shows that alcohol causes more fitful sleep, increases wakefulness and makes it harder for you to fall back to sleep. Some studies suggest that having even one alcoholic drink within six hours of bedtime increases wakefulness.
• Set a good sleep schedule and stick to it. Go to bed and wake up about the same time every day. Following this pattern helps cue your body to feel tired at night and makes it easier for you to wake up to your alarm in the morning. Be consistent, even on weekends. Sunday sleep-ins can throw this schedule off track.
• Create a regular bedtime routine. Whether it’s taking a hot bath or drinking a cup of herbal tea, following a regular soothing ritual signals your body that it’s time for bed. Try aromatherapy for some added relaxation in a diffuser, spray or body lotion can be very relaxing.
• Shut out the light at night. Keep your room dark and avoid exposing yourself to light in the middle of the night (try to keep the light off if you need to use the bathroom). It disrupts your biological clock, making it harder to fall asleep or go back to sleep if you wake up.
• Keep it cool. Most experts believe a cool room will help you sleep better because it mimics the drop in body temperature you experience when you sleep.
• Turn down the volume. The clanking furnace, loud wall clock and your spouse’s snoring can all interfere with sleep. If you can’t eliminate the noise, wear earplugs to mute it.
• Keep the TV out of the bedroom. (and other electronic devices like phones and tablets) Electronic devices can interfere with sleep because of the light and electronic waves that stimulate your brain to stay awake.

Follow these guidelines to help get the best sleep possible. If you’re still feeling sluggish during the day, try a 15-20 minute power nap to give yourself a boost. Reports show that people who take short naps sleep better at night and may actually live longer that those who don’t nap! Long naps aren’t as refreshing as short ones, so keep it to 30 minutes or less. Too much sleep can also make you feel more fatigued.

If you’re eating well, exercising, and getting adequate sleep, but you’re still feeling low on energy, make sure you consult your doctor to rule out any underlying causes.

Thanks for reading my blog on boosting your energy levels with sleep! If you’ve found some value, please share!