Budget-Friendly Tips for Building Better Sleep Habits

Sleep plays an incredibly important role in our overall health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, many of us get less than the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night and face an increased risk of several physical and mental health conditions as a result. There are lots of reasons why people may have trouble getting the shut-eye they need, from long workdays to poor sleep habits. Thankfully, it’s possible to improve your sleep without breaking the bank or cutting back your work hours. Here are some budget-friendly sleep habits to boost your mental health, presented to you below by Bailout Wellness.

Optimize Your Bedroom 

Begin by taking a good look at your sleep environment. According to The Better Sleep Council, the ideal bedroom is calming, cool, dark, and quiet, so it might be worthwhile to make a few functional and decorative adjustments to your sleep sanctuary.

Start by cooling your room down by turning on a fan or turning down the thermostat—the ideal temperature for sleep is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep your room as dark as possible by banishing all light sources and hanging blackout shades. If you’re constantly disturbed by sounds you can’t control, like honking cars or noisy neighbors, add an app to your phone to drown it out. For instance, apps myNoise or White Noise can do the trick, or you can use a high-performing Bluetooth speaker to play the ambient noise for you.

Your bedroom décor can also affect your sleep. Declutter your walls and shelves and remove anything from your room that doesn’t make you feel content and relaxed. Then, hang some calming artwork or paint your walls in soothing colors such as soft green or pastel blue. Painting your walls is a very affordable way to transform your room into an inviting sleep den. Investing in a few sleep-promoting items for your room will help you fall asleep faster and reduce nighttime waking, so you can make the most of your time in bed.

Last but not least, consider having your mattress professionally cleaned. This way, you can remove any allergens or irritants that may be disrupting your sleep. Look for professional furniture cleaners on sites like Angi and find a well-reviewed business that has experience with mattress cleaning. This way, you know your mattress will be in good hands.

Try Natural Remedies

Many people who struggle with sleeplessness turn to prescription drugs, but these carry some nasty side effects and the potential for addiction. Plus, they’re expensive! Natural remedies are better for your body and your wallet. Melatonin, for example, has been found to be successful in reducing the time it takes to fall asleep.

John Hopkins Medicine recommends taking a very small dose of melatonin and using it for no longer than one or two weeks to fix temporary sleeping problems. Collagen can also promote better sleep, although it can take a few weeks for collagen supplements to work. Some other natural sleep remedies you may want to try include valerian root, passionflower, and magnesium.

Aromatherapy can also be effective at improving sleep. Try diffusing essential oils of lavender, valerian, or bergamot to reduce anxiety and relax before bed. 

Develop an Affordable Self-Care Routine

As we all know, stress and sleep do not go well together. Constant stress can lead to some pretty unpleasant mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. Take steps to manage stress in your waking life—and especially before bed—to help your brain and body wind down in the evening.

This is a great excuse to practice some self-care! To stick to your budget, avoid splurging on spa days, shopping sprees, and expensive stress-relief products. Instead, try some free self-care activities at home. Take a walk in the fresh air, practice meditation, follow an online yoga video, or relax in the bath with a good book. There are endless ways to treat yourself without spending money!

Improving your sleep through healthy habits is one of the best things you can do for your mental health. Try making a few changes to your sleep environment and bedtime behaviors, and you may notice a significant difference in your sleep quality. Good sleep habits will help you sleep more efficiently, so you can spend less of your time tossing and turning and more time getting restorative sleep.