Hi,

So, obviously, I am no sleep expert, nor is anyone on this thread (if we are all experiencing problems over sleep, lol). However, I think a thread about good sleep would be helpful to all. It's easy to develop a habit of thinking negatively and anxiously about sleep; this is something that has really affected my life recently. However, perhaps changing our thoughts about sleep is needed to spur positive change. I think reflecting on what I was doing during periods of my life where I WAS sleeping well has helped improve my sleep somewhat now, even if not back to 100%. So, feel free to contribute stories of great sleep or habits you think has made sleep better for you. I'll share some of mine:

1. Exercising in the late afternoon/early evening. This has been one habit that works without fail for me. Personally, it doesn't matter how long I exercise for or how intense, as long as I sweat and get my heart rate up a bit. I feel noticeably more tired at night after exercising at least before dinner.
2. A super busy day. As someone who is not currently employed and out of school, I can say with certainty that staying busy and engaged socially throughout the day is key, even when you feel exhausted during the day. I try to see each day as an opportunity to be productive.
3. A regular routine. This is also something I lack now. In high school, I went to bed and woke up at the exact same time each night/morning. This drastically improved my quality of sleep. I think this also speaks to getting up early each morning, because the less time spent in bed wide awake, the better.
4. Getting outside. If you can, aim to get outside every single day. Better yet, exercise outside and kill two birds with one stone. Getting sunlight exposure (or at least fresh air) is great for establishing rhythms.
5. A bedtime routine. Whatever it is, establish something you can do every night before going to bed. Mine is typically reflecting on the three positives of my day and determining what went well and what could have been improved. If you have someone to talk to about this and you are both able to share things about your day, that's even better! If you do this enough, it DOES become a habit that you don't even have to think about anymore and you will start to feel tired when you think about this habit.

That's probably good enough to start, haha. Again, these are just things from my personal experience that I believe are important to a good night's rest, so you are more than welcome to disagree if you want. What things have worked for you and what do you think it takes to get better sleep (even if "better" simply means an increase in quality)? I hope to hear some new things from you all. Thanks!