So you want to quit sleeping pills.
Sleep coach, mom, and CEO of Sleep Like a Boss Christine Hansen reveals some of her top tips on how to get better sleep to avoid popping pills.
On the Entrepreneur on Fire podcast hosted by John Lee Dumas, Christine shares her approach to tackling insomnia, focusing on over-stretched entrepreneurs.
Her simple first step toward freedom from sleepless nights may surprise you.
Read on to learn some actionable tips from this top sleep expert so you can get the rest you need, drug-free.
What’s This Podcast with Christine Hansen All About?
In this Entrepreneur on Fire podcast, host John Lee Dumas interviews Christine about her background, tips for better sleep, and her journey as an entrepreneur.
Founder and CEO of Sleep Like a Boss, Christine Hansen, grew up in Luxembourg and was a pioneer for sleep coaching in her home country. Though she got her start as a baby sleep coach, now she focuses on adult sleep issues.
Christine means business.
She is the sleep expert to top-shelf CEOs and a myriad of other high-end clients. Plus, she has been featured in Forbes, Vogue, Elite Daily, Reader’s Digest, National Geographic, and other well-respected publications. With hundreds of client testimonials, her adult sleep hacks have made a lasting impression in the sleep industry.
She explains that her approach to sleep is holistic because so many factors affect it:
“[Sleep] is what I focus on, or disfocus on, in a way.”
Funnily enough, Christine likens sleep to different kinds of dogs.
An easy, heavy sleeper is like a Labrador and a high maintenance, more difficult sleeper is more like a noisy chihuahua.
Her analogy serves to help listeners visualize that there are a wide range of factors that can affect sleep but just like every breed of dog, sleepers just need the right basic things to feel settled.
5 Sleep Tips for Healthy Sleep from Sleep Coach Christine Hansen
The effects of poor sleep are well known both scientifically and anecdotally.
Christine points out:
“If you don’t sleep you are a very pale version of yourself.”
Try out some of her advice to kick your sleeping pill habit.
1. Take stock of how much sleep you’re getting
Are you sleep-deprived? Most people don’t even realize they aren’t getting enough sleep. Adults should be getting seven to nine hours a night. Are you?
No matter what you think, compelling sleep studies show and doctors agree that fewer than seven hours of sleep a night leads to some level of impairment 100% of the time.
Christine says:
“Sleep is really powerful… If you really neglect it, it’s going to have a field day on taking revenge and you will not even notice because you’re too tired.”
Sleep deprivation is dangerous and unless you slow down and really examine yourself to find your natural rhythm, you may be missing the clues.
The Go2Sleep sleep tracker by SleepOn is perfect to help you keep track of your sleep patterns to help you better determine which areas need improvement and which solutions fit your needs.
2. Organize your day for better sleep at night
A good night’s sleep doesn’t begin at bedtime — the clock starts ticking when you wake up.
Consider Christine’s key question:
“How can we organize our day so that we can get sleep to be really easy at night?”
Making good choices throughout your day can improve your sleep habits, like limiting caffeine intake, exercising, and doing meditation will help you drift off more easily at night.
Good pre-bed habits are also important, like reducing blue light exposure with blue light blocking glasses, skipping the extra drink, and, if possible, having some quiet time.
There are lots of small actionable steps you can take starting right NOW to set yourself up for a better night’s sleep without taking sleeping pills.
3. Don’t stress out about falling asleep
“The biggest thing you can tell yourself is ‘so what?’ Screw it.”
Christine explains that worrying about falling asleep is one of the major reasons you’re not actually falling asleep.
“Something that I’ve figured out that works and that is a little bit counterintuitive is actually despite knowing how important sleep is… don’t stress about it at night… it can put you under a lot of pressure sometimes.”
This pressure is the enemy of sleep.
To help you manage your stress levels, you can try things like a warm bath, journaling, or some CBD sleep gummies product to ease your anxiety and improve your quality of sleep.
4. Understand that you’re a better YOU when you prioritize sleep
We all want to put our best foot forward, and if you aren’t prioritizing sleep, you simply can’t do that.
Christine Hansen says what everyone’s thinking:
“It’s so easy to sacrifice sleep. I’m just going to do a little bit more of this, and a little bit more of that. It’s just really easy to push it backward and we function, that’s the thing, we do function on not enough sleep. But figuring out that you’re such a better version when you do get the sleep, sometimes takes a lot of time and hitting rock bottom in a way.”
No more, a little of this, a little of that. Set a bedtime routine and stick to it.
If you prioritize sleep over those little extra tasks, you will reap the benefits both professionally and socially very quickly.
5. Don’t look at sleep as your enemy
Nowadays, sleep is demonized as though getting healthy rest insinuates that you’re lazy.. 6 hours, 5 hours, 4 hours…
According to Christine, reality is that:
“Sleep might sometimes seem like a nuisance but the truth is it is your most powerful ally.”
If you start to accept sleep into your life and reframe your perspective, sleep becomes something cherished that must be prioritized.
By default, this new mentality of sleep as an ally will set the stage for all the other actions to fall into place.
In conclusion…
Better quality sleep is possible, even for the most overworked among us. Using sleep coach Christine Hansen’s actionable steps outlined here that you can start doing right now.
Want to hear the full podcast with sleep coach Christine Hansen for more tips? Click here.
Remember, tracking your sleep is one of the quickest ways to pinpoint your issues. Try the The Go2Sleep sleep tracker by SleepOn to help you do this.
Need more advice to help you get to sleep quicker and faster? Download our FREE expert ebook now.
Welcome to Snoozerville! I’m Dr. Alex Hartley, your guide to the world of restful sleep. With a Ph.D. in Sleep Science and years of experience as a sleep therapist, I’ve dedicated my life to understanding and improving sleep quality. My passion lies in uncovering the mysteries of sleep and sharing practical, science-backed advice to help you achieve the best rest possible. Beyond my academic pursuits, I’m an advocate for mindfulness and relaxation techniques, which I incorporate into my daily routine. At Snoozerville, I aim to transform your nights, combining the latest research with easy-to-implement tips. Whether you’re a chronic insomniac or just looking to improve your sleep hygiene, join me on this journey towards peaceful, rejuvenating sleep.