Part of what consists of being in a healthy and happy relationship, is both people being individually healthy and happy. We should all be whole and complete, and feel predominantly happy for the most part as individuals. But more than being happy, every person needs to love themself enough to take good care of themself and live a predominantly healthy lifestyle. Part of which consists of getting enough REM sleep, eating a predominantly healthy diet, and staying physically active. In this article, I wanted to focus specifically on the sleep aspect, because of the importance that getting enough sleep can have on a couple’s happiness. Here are 8 helpful ways to improve sleep as a couple.
When couples don’t get enough sleep, they’re not going to be able to function their best, put their best foot forward, cope with everyday living, feel driven towards their goals, or even feel emotionally stable. These are all things that are needed in order to feel good in life, and in your relationship. I hope that the following list can help couples understand the importance of getting enough sleep so that they can improve their relationships.
1. Don’t Go to Bed Angry
Whether your issues haven’t been resolved, or whether you still have more that you’d like to say, and you haven’t yet gotten your point across in a conversation, there’s always tomorrow. When it comes to going to bed next to your partner, or even if you live apart, it’s important to go to sleep on a happy note. Don’t bring your issues into the bedroom, and always try to kiss and makeup before you go to sleep. And always remember that the sun will shine tomorrow, and each day can be a beautiful and new beginning.
2. Don’t Confuse Hunger with Sleepiness
Many times, whether we’re happy, or even going through hard times in our relationship, we may stay up late. And whether you’re staying up late watching the latest series of “Orange Is the New Black,” or whether you’re hashing out issues all night, you might start to get hungry at some point. Don’t mistake that hunger for the lack of sleep that you’re missing out on by staying up so late. Many times, we confuse being hungry with simply being overtired. So instead of going after a late-night snack, or heavens forbid, and a huge late-night meal, just head to bed instead. And if you really are hungry, don’t overeat, because the last thing that you want to feel before going to sleep is stuffed or even worse, to end up with a stomach ache.
3. Do Some Physical Activity During the Day
It’s always great to be active and to stay in shape as much as possible. And what better way to stay in shape, than to have a partner that you can do physical activities. That’s one of the luxuries of having a partner—the option to do things as a couple. When you have enough physical activity throughout your day, you’ll likely end up sleeping better at night.
4. Create a Sleep Ritual
Whether you say a prayer before sleep, listen to light music, or whether you’re watching old reruns of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” create some sort of ritual that will be calming and relaxing to you before sleep. But don’t do anything that will keep you up even longer. Only create the types of rituals that will be relaxing to your mind and your soul.
5. Want Better Sleep? Stop Over-Napping During the Day
Taking a short 20-minute nap is one thing, but literally going to sleep for a couple of hours during the day is another. Taking naps that are too long during the day will prevent you from getting enough REM sleep at night. And being that you sleep next to someone else, it’s always better to be on the same page as far as your sleep routine.
6. Don’t Start Up Conversations in the Bedroom
I get, I get, you’re in love with your partner, and you can’t get enough of them, and having conversations with each other. However, the bed should be used for napping, sleeping, closeness, and intimacy. Bedtime is not the time to start bringing up issues, planning the next day, or working through different worries and anxieties that you might be feeling. The best way to get some good shut-eye is by living in the moment, and bedtime is the moment for sleep.
7. Don’t Drink Coffee or Eat Sugar After 6:30 PM
Anything that could wire you, or create more energy in your system isn’t going to be good for you when it comes to getting an adequate amount of sleep. It’s best to avoid anything with caffeine or sugar as much as possible after about 6:30 PM. And this even goes for those workaholics, that hope to get in a few more hours of work into the late night. You see, having a truly successful life consists of being healthy and happy, and if you lack sleep, you’re not going to be balanced emotionally. And to those workaholic types, who think drinking coffee will get you through towards finishing up some late work, it’s better to stay up late but avoid the coffee.
8. Avoid Alcohol, If Getting Enough Sleep Is a Priority
Believe it or not, drinking some alcohol might make you sleepy, but that sleepiness will only be temporary. Alcohol actually ends up making you miss out on REM sleep. When you drink before bed, you end up waking up sporadically through the night. And you might even end up running back and forth from the bathroom, instead of sleeping peacefully until the morning.
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