June 4th, 2019 – It’s 4:45 p.m. and I’m limping towards the end of a very long day. It was filled with a tremendous variety of tasks and interruptions, not unlike many days as the owner of a hot tub company. And, in general, I love it.

Today was especially long because, for the first time in a while, I had a rough time getting to sleep last night. Bedtime arrived, and I was wide awake! Magical thinking told me, “Hey, just go to bed like normal. You’ll be asleep in no time!”

Well…I’m certainly no magician. I believe I finally drifted off around 2: 30 a.m. and managed to get just under five hours of sleep. Not….enough. In fact, according to the latest range of the recommended hours of sleep from the National Sleep Foundation, a minimum of 7-8 hours is defined as needed for anyone 18-65+ years old. (In other words, we all need sleep!)

There are plenty of ways you can improve your chances of getting a good night’s sleep. One very important element that can increase your odds is a good soak in a hot tub about 90 minutes before bedtime.

Your body very much appreciates that sense of weightlessness that a hot tub soak provides, releasing the tension of the day and easing pressure on your joints. You’ll find yourself starting to relax, thanks to your circulation increasing, which in turn encourages a natural drop in your blood pressure and heart rate.

Once you wrap up your time in the tub, your core body temperature—which heats up during your hot tub soak—begins a cool down. That cool down signals your brain that it’s time to let your head hit that pillow and get that much needed slumber started. It will also help you fall into REM sleep faster, getting you to that deep sleep state for a much more beneficial rest and recharge.

The hot tub can be just one component of a sleep regimen that will get you that perfect rest. Here are a few other things that can boost your ability to get a good night’s sleep:

• A cooler bedroom that’s free from noise and other distractions. Keeping your bedroom around 65 degrees Fahrenheit at night will help with sleep.
• My aunt is one of those people who will take a good book to bed and read a bit before hitting the hay. Studies show this not only helps but playing relaxing music will too.
• Keeping a regular bedtime—even on your days off—is a smart thing to do. Your body likes routines, and that absolutely applies to a regular bedtime schedule.
• Skip caffeinated beverages for a few hours before bedtime. Even longer if you’re prone to being especially sensitive to caffeine.
• Exercise of some kind every day will help you. Whether it’s an evening walk, a visit to the gym, or a run, your body will crave down time to recharge from the energy expended from physical activity.
• Skip those devices with bright screens. Your eyes don’t need to take in artificial light when you’re attempting to get your body to shut down for rest. Turn them off, put them on silence, and let them recharge while you’re off to do the same!

Hopefully you’ll find some gems in here that you can integrate into your evenings to help you increase your chances of a good night’s sleep every night. It will help you stay focused and put you in much better spirits for whatever comes your way in your day!