Sleep is one of the most powerful – and underrated – tools for improving your health. It’s not just about feeling rested; quality sleep governs everything from physical recovery and mental wellbeing to concentration, energy levels and even food cravings.
When we sleep well, our bodies repair, our brains process the day, and our hormones rebalance. Without it, we’re more likely to overeat, underperform, and feel stressed or low. If you’re putting in the effort in the gym or kitchen, getting your sleep right is the next crucial step to seeing real results.
If you’re struggling to get good quality sleep, you’re not alone. Many of us burn the candle at both ends and wonder why we wake up feeling groggy or wired in the middle of the night.
The good news is that with just a few simple changes to your daily habits, you can dramatically improve your sleep quality and wake up feeling more refreshed. Here are six easy but effective hacks to help you sleep better…
☀️ Start Early – Get Morning Sunlight
Getting outside in the morning and exposing yourself to natural sunlight is one of the most powerful ways to regulate your body’s circadian rhythm – your internal sleep-wake clock.
Just 10–15 minutes of sunlight helps signal to your brain that it’s daytime, which in turn helps you feel sleepier at the right time in the evening. If it’s bright early on, make a habit of stepping out for a short walk or enjoying your morning coffee by the window.
🌙 Wind Down – Dim the Lights Before Bed
An hour or so before bed, start to reduce the amount of artificial light in your environment. Bright lights – especially blue light from phones, tablets and TVs – can trick your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, delaying the release of melatonin (your sleep hormone). Use lamps instead of ceiling lights and consider blue-light blocking glasses if you’re watching screens in the evening.
☕ Avoid Caffeine in the Evening
Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that can stay in your system for several hours. Even if you don’t feel jittery, caffeine can still interfere with your ability to fall into deep, restorative sleep. Try to give yourself at least a 3–4 hour gap between your last coffee and bedtime. If you need something warm in the evening, go for herbal teas like chamomile or peppermint instead.
🍽️ Don’t Sleep on a Full Stomach
Eating a heavy meal right before bed can lead to discomfort and disrupted sleep. Your body has to work harder to digest food, which keeps it alert when it should be winding down. Aim to finish eating at least 2–3 hours before bedtime to give your digestive system time to do its job before you drift off.
🍷 Limit Alcohol Intake
It’s a common myth that alcohol helps you sleep. While it may make you feel drowsy at first, alcohol can actually fragment your sleep, reduce REM (dream) sleep, and cause more awakenings during the night. In many cases, alcohol impacts your sleep more than caffeine does. Try limiting intake or stopping a few hours before bed if you do drink.
🧘♂️ De-Stress Before Bed
Going to bed in a stressed or anxious state makes it harder to fall asleep and can lower the quality of your sleep. Build a simple wind-down routine that helps calm your mind – this could be stretching, journaling, reading, or practising mindfulness or breathing exercises. Creating a sense of calm before bed tells your body it’s safe to relax and recover.
Better sleep doesn’t require an overhaul of your life – just a few smart adjustments to your daily habits. Try a couple of these tips this week and see how your sleep improves. Your body (and brain) will thank you!
Want to improve your health and fitness? Let the AdMac Fitness Personal Trainers help…
AdMac Fitness has been helping the people of East London transform their health and fitness for nearly a decade.
We help people using tried and tested fitness approaches. Our expert team of personal trainers, based in both Bow and South Woodford can help you get a grip of your health forever. With our guidance and experience, you can relax knowing that your fitness journey is going to be guided by some of the best personal trainers in East London.
For more information on who we are, what we do and how we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, contact us on… 07921465108 or email us at admacfitness@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Our locations are…
AdMac Fitness: Arch 457 Robeson St, London E3 4JA
AdMac Fitness South Woodford: Unit 4 Marlborough Business Centre, 96 George Lane, South Woodford, London, E18 1AD