What Solopreneurs Should Know to Sleep Soundly at Night

In the past entry, we talked about ways for a solopreneur to wake up with less stress. However, there is one issue that our readers commonly ask about and that is how to sleep peacefully at night. Due to work overload and stress, solopreneurs are prone to experiencing sleep difficulties. Today, we’re going to address this issue by discussing how you can sleep better at night worry-free.

In the Morning

Plan and record your activities

Establish a sleep-wake cycle by scheduling and following it. Be consistent about your planned routine and try to be in sync with it at all times by waking up and sleeping at the same time every day. Record the time you sleep at night and wake up in the morning. That way, you can know whether you’ve followed a consistent sleep routine or not.

Expose yourself to sunlight and control your environment

Make your room accessible to natural light during sunrise by positioning your window facing to where the sun rises in your place by the morning. Also, let as much sunlight into your office as well and spend more time working during the daytime. If you live in a place whether winter nights are longer, you can use a light therapy box.

Exercise and nap

Time your exercise right during the day. If you can, schedule your exercise in the morning. You can also do that after work during sundown. If you feel the need to nap, time your nap right. You can do that shortly after lunch or in between breaks. Just make sure not to nap for too long as it may interrupt with your nighttime sleep.

At Night

Consider your foods and beverages

Spicy and acidic foods cause stomach trouble and heartburn. Too much liquid will result in more trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night resulting in disrupted sleep.

Foods with high sugar content can trigger a sugar rush during bedtime. Alcohol may help you relax but it can also cause hangovers and vomiting if not moderately consumed. Caffeine and nicotine are widely known stimulants that are sure to give you a hard time sleeping. Avoiding or limiting your intake of such food and beverage ensures a good night’s sleep.

Get everything done and do a brain dump

Being so full after eating makes you feel drowsy. Fight it by doing important activities such as planning and writing a list for tomorrow. You can also do the dishes, prepare clothes and call your outsources for tomorrow. Allow yourself to think for a while to write new insights and make a list of important tasks before heading to bed.

Read: Need to Get Stuff Done? Here’s a Nice Little Game to Play with Yourself

Relax

Now that you’ve done everything, take an hour or two to relax before bedtime. Postpone all worries and brainstorming to clear your head. Make yourself unavailable for work-related calls and emails. Let your colleagues understand that. Do a mild activity such as reading or listening to a relaxing music. I also recommend drinking chamomile tea. Don’t go to bed unless you're ready to sleep.

Control your sleeping environment

Make your room a dark, cool and quiet place - ideal for a good night’s rest. Buy and sleep on comfortable equipment. Avoid using backlit screen devices such as phones and tablets. wIf you do get up during the night keep the lights low. Also, stop checking the time when you’re lying down, it makes you calculate time, and you don't really need that if you want to sleep.

Practice visualization

Visualize a peaceful and restful place - a beach or a foggy mountain is very ideal. Images of nature create a feeling of relaxation. Consider downloading a mindfulness and relaxation app such as Calm or Headspace.

Read: A Guide To Meditation For The Busy Entrepreneur

Remember that the key to having a peaceful night is to be relaxed physically and mentally. Sleeping soundly is achievable with a consistent sleep-wake schedule, exercise, planning, eating healthily, and visualization.