How to Have the Best Night of Sleep Before Your Move

Did you know that when we don’t get an adequate amount of sleep for just one evening, our brain functions including memory, decision-making, reasoning, problem-solving, reaction time, and alertness all significantly worsen? For these reasons alone, having your brain in tip-top shape leading up to your move is not just a suggestion.. but a requirement in my book. 
You probably already understand the importance of quality sleep, but your big moving day is coming up and may be causing you some stress days or weeks in advance, and I totally get it. Moving is stressful by nature and it’s completely normal to be feeling a bit tense, especially if it’s your first time moving. But that doesn’t mean we should justify any lack of sleep as being okay, because doing so will only cause your stress to worsen. When you get a full night of quality sleep, you have an increase in energy, you're able to make more tough decisions, and you’re able to stay focused for longer. Sounds pretty important when making a move, doesn’t it?
So without further adieu, below are a few very simple and easy tips to get the most out of your night of sleep.

  1. Reduce your blue light exposure

This first tip you have probably heard a million times, but it is true and vital for a great night of sleep! Please do your very best to reduce your blue-light exposure during the evening. Put all electronics away a couple hours before heading to bed, and instead take out a book or listen to some music. If you insist on using electronic devices 90 minutes before bedtime, I suggest investing in some blue-light glasses to wear in order to reduce the harmful effects from the light. By eliminating (or reducing) your blue light exposure before bed, you will fall asleep much quicker and your quality of sleep will increase. 

  1. Cut off the caffeine

I know coffee is a lifesaver for a lot of us, especially in the midst of a big move, but consuming caffeine too late in the day has a big (negative) effect on your sleep at night. Limit your caffeine intake to only the morning time so your nervous system won’t be stimulated in the evening when you are trying to relax and fall asleep. I promise you will be more awake and alert after a good night of rest, and you may find that you don’t even need the coffee if your sleep is on point! Cutting out caffeine from your daily habits completely has been shown to result in the best sleep outcomes, so I suggest you try this if possible. But of course, your moving day is YOUR day, so consume all the caffeine you need to make it a productive and successful one!

  1. Prepare your sleep environment

The environment you sleep in plays a very large role in the quality of your rest at night, even if it is little things such as the temperature or noise. Studies show that trying to fall asleep in an environment with external noise and light (such as city noise and street lights) can prevent restful sleep and cause long-term health problems. So, try and create a relaxing and calming environment to fall asleep in at night and minimize noise, light, and clutter to maximize your quality of sleep. Also, treat your room as the safe place in your home; don’t bring any work, life, or distractions into your bedroom so you can teach your mind that the bedroom is for relaxing and rest only. This includes leaving all your notes and reminders for moving day outside of the bedroom!

  1. Relax! Moving day is almost through

Finally, r-e-l-a-x. Set some time aside at night for yourself to rejuvenate whether that be enjoying a warm bath, reading a feel-good book, drinking a cup of tea, listening to some music, or simply meditating and focusing on your breathing. You should not be exercising, eating a big meal, watching hours of television, or nervously going over your moving reminders because these will all have effects on your relaxation when trying to rest and go to bed. These little things like deep breathing and meditation are the cherry on top to ensure you have a quality night of sleep.

 

Overall, sleep is beyond important for our health and well-being, but it can be hard to acquire good quality rest during a stressful process such as moving. I hope you found my tips helpful, as they have come from experience and have helped me tremendously. If you find that stress is your biggest “piece to the puzzle” that’s causing your sleep to lack, I recommend reading our recent post that discusses how you can reduce stress on Moving Day.
Thank you for reading, and cheers to a sound night of sleep!
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