Sleeping is a pastime we all share.

It’s also how we each spend a third of our lives.

Many of us sleep well, but we are not exempt from the occasional night of poor sleep for those who do.

Sleep revitalizes us, and no amount of compensating (consuming caffeinated beverages) will make up for not getting a good night’s sleep.

Some people have rituals they perform to ensure the best possible sleep.

I’ve (mainly) stopped drinking any liquids by 6:30 p.m.

Stopping liquids by 6:30 has seemed to help minimize the time(s) I get up to make wee wee.

We (our dogs, my better half, and I) call it wee-wee because the dogs don’t respond as well to go pee before we all retire for the evening.

Wee-wee is a more soothing word than pee, but I digress.

There are many suggestions sleep experts have, which contain varying degrees of success depending on who you are.

Can it make a difference in the quality of your rest to consider purchasing a new sleeping device?

Everything is a device of some kind these days, including beds and mattresses.

I can attest that getting a better sleeping device can make a world of difference in the quality of your sleep.

I am not one to shamelessly advertise in these posts for companies, however, no matter the product.

So, my suggestion is to go out and try as many different beds and mattresses as you can; it’s not a gimmick if something works for you.

What else can you try?

I am not a sleeping subject matter expert by any stretch of the imagination, so instead of telling you what the so-called experts say to try, let me tell you what else I think (in addition to cutting off liquids at 6:30 p.m.) about all of this:

  • Go to bed around the same time every time – seems to aid in the creation of a body clock so your body can learn over time to power down at the same time as you;
  • Count backward from 100 – this has worked more often than not, probably because fatigue makes counting backward challenging;
  • Working out before sleep – made me very restless as my workouts usually give me energy and don’t make me tired;
  • Drink warm milk – yuck, no interest in trying;
  • Drink regular tea – the caffeine does not help;
  • Drink decaf tea – the reduced caffeine is still too much to not get in the way of sleeping;
  • Watch an ancient state of the union address (before trying to sleep) – I have not tried it but probably should;
  • Think about all of the jobs you’ve had – like the state of the union address viewing suggestion above. I have not tried it but probably should;
  • Play a rainforest sound loop to relax – can’t say that it’ll work if it’s the only thing you do;
  • Taking an OTC sleep aid or natural supplement – has helped, but I have never taken anything consistently because old school folks like me want to lay down and fall asleep without taking anything.

I could keep going, but I don’t see the need as I think you’re already asleep.