8 Sleep Hacks That Will Put You Right to Bed

If you're groggy throughout the day, it might be because you're not getting good sleep. Quality snooze time is important because it sets the pace for the rest of the day. To help you get great sleep, we've found some hacks that you might not know about. Give 'em a shot — you never know what will work for you!

01
Your last cup of coffee should be at 2 p.m.
StockSnap | Matthew Henry

Your last cup of coffee should be at 2 p.m.

The half-life of caffeine, or the time it takes for the average person to get rid of half the caffeine in their system, is about five to seven hours. To get rid of 75 percent of the caffeine in your body, it will take eight to 10 hours. Drinking later in the day can generally interfere with your sleep.

02
Move your favorite night activities to the morning.
StockSnap | Kari Shea

Move your favorite night activities to the morning.

Maybe you stay up late to indulge in activities you enjoy, such as scrolling through Instagram or reading a book. Instead of putting off precious sleep for these time-wasters, do them first thing in the morning instead. That way, you'll look forward to going to bed and waking up. Reading a book while leisurely munching on your breakfast sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

03
Wash your sheets.
StockSnap | Jay Mantri

Wash your sheets.

You will sleep better when your bed is clean and comfortable.

04
Take a caffeine nap — the ultimate power snooze.
StockSnap | Paul

Take a caffeine nap — the ultimate power snooze.

Take a 15-minute nap immediately after downing a cup of coffee. Researchers found that combining the two was more effective than taking a nap or drinking coffee on their own. Caffeine takes about 15 minutes for the effects to kick in, so by the time you wake up, you'll be feeling refreshed.

05
Use F.lux to diminish artificial light from electronics.
StockSnap | Negative Space

Use F.lux to diminish artificial light from electronics.

Too much blue light before you sleep can affect the production of melatonin, a hormone that controls the sleep cycle. F.lux can help by changing the color of your computer screen to correspond with the time of day. For example, the brightness will automatically be dimmed and the blue light will lessen as the day turns into night.

06
Or get blue-blocking glasses.
StockSnap | Mark Solarski

Or get blue-blocking glasses.

You can wear blue-blocking glasses — like these Blue Light Blocking Glasses ($10) — to block out the artificial blue light at home. A University of Toledo study found that adults who wore blue-blocking shades three hours before they slept saw a significant improvement in quality of sleep.

Of course, you can skip all these blue-blocking gadgets if you just limit your usage of electronics a few hours before bed.

07
Invest in some nasal strips.
StockSnap | Vladislav Muslakov

Invest in some nasal strips.

If you're not getting quality sleep, then perhaps you're not properly breathing. For a quick fix, get Breathe Right Nasal Strips ($39) to help open nasal passages.

08
Warm your feet.
StockSnap | Brooke Cagle

Warm your feet.

We all know that you sleep better in a cool room (between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit) because your body temperature needs to lower for you to get to sleep. However, if the temperature is too low, it may cause your feet to get chilly. And when your hands and feet are cold, the blood vessels constrict, retaining heat in your body and making it harder for you to fall asleep. Since cold feet are strongly linked to the sleep cycle, putting on a pair of socks in bed might be a good way to induce sleep more quickly.