Some people find it easy to sleep, for some, insomnia is a real struggle. However, there are a simple tips you can adapt to make sure that you can start having a good night sleep each time you lay your head on the pillow.
- Beddings and mattress
To sleep easy, your beddings should be clean, warm and snuggly but not too warm. You should avoid using too many blankets. If your mattress sags, place a board under it. Your pillow should be clean as well. Make sure you replace pillows every three years.
Shoulder pain, back pain and stiffness of the back and neck will affect the quality of your sleep. So, you should sleep on a comfortable mattress.
- Put the alarm clock out of view
Apart from emitting disruptive lights, also, the alarm clock gives your mind one more thing to worry about.
- Try melatonin supplements
High melatonin levels signal the brain to relax and get ready to sleep. If your brain feels out of sync, then your melatonin levels could be too low. Fortunately, there are many melatonin supplements available for you.
- Try Ginkgo biloba
This natural herb has been shown to aid in sleep. It relaxes and somehow melts the stress away letting you sleep faster and better.
- Valerian Root
Several studies show that this root helps you fall asleep faster and also increases the quality of sleep.
- Essential oils and aromatherapy
Lavender is a powerful relaxer with incredible calming effects. It will improve the quality of sleep. Essential oils help with anxiety and depression. Besides lavender, you can try lemon balm.
- Other supplements
You may want to try supplements such as glycine, magnesium, and L-Theanine. These will help you get a better night’s sleep.
- Take a Relaxing Bath
A relaxing bath just before bedtime increases the quality of sleep and it also helps you sleep better. Just make sure you take a warm bath as that will relax your muscles. Alternatively, you can take a foot bath.
- Clear your mind
With multiple things running through your mind, you won’t be able to fall asleep. It is important to note that over thinking and over analyzing situations gone wrong will not resolve any issues. So, relax instead.
Some of the most effective relaxation techniques include massages, listening to relaxing music, taking a hot bath, visualization, and deep breathing.
- Document your sleep pattern
Perhaps you are unable to sleep, because of an underlying condition. You could be depressed, or you may be suffering from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea disrupts sleep by affecting breathing. Your sleep issues may also be caused by your work especially if you work in shifts.
- Try eating sleep superfoods
Some foods will let you sleep faster, as long as you take them a few hours before bed time. A meal with chicken or even cheese will help you sleep faster because it has proteins and Tryptophan, an amino acid that gets converted into serotonin, the other sleep promoting hormone, besides melatonin.
- Stretch
While you can’t perform cardio exercises before bed, gentle stretching exercises like restorative yoga will put your mind at ease, reduce muscle tension and steady your breath without revving up your heart.
- Read a book
If you like reading, you should consider taking that interesting book with you to bed and no, we don’t mean your Kindle. A real book, one you have to flip the pages will let you fall asleep faster.
- Take some time out
If you keep tossing and turning, get out of bed into another room. You can work on something until you feel tired. Note that this is what you should do only when everything else fails.
- Spend the right amount of time in bed
If you tend to sleep for more than eight hours, then, your sleep habit gets fragmented. By limiting your sleeping time to about 8.5 hours every night, you will establish a healthy sleeping pattern, and you won’t have trouble falling asleep.
- Stop hitting the snooze button
Contrary to what you think, hitting the snooze button robs you hours of sleep instead of adding. This is because it only disrupts your morning hours.
- Get the right size of bed
If you are sharing the bed with your partner, you should consider the size of the bed and the amount of space each of you will get. A couple should sleep on a queen or a king mattress. Otherwise, it will feel as if you are sleeping in a crib.
- Rewind your day
To clear your mind of worry, remember all the mundane details of your day in reverse. You will reach a mental state that is ready to sleep faster. However, avoid rewarding yourself with alcohol because this will only make sleeping more difficult. If you struggle with alcohol addiction, click here.
- Create a sleep paradox
How? Challenge yourself to stay awake. When you do this, your mind automatically rejects this as the brain doesn’t take negativity well. Your brain interprets this as an instruction to fall asleep instead. Your eye muscles will tire too.
- Roll your eyes
Just close your eyes and roll your eyeballs upwards thrice. This triggers the release of melatonin.
- How about humming to yourself
When you breathe gently out of your mouth with your lips together, you can hum to yourself. Just sit in a comfortable position. This is a yoga meditation technique that creates a sense of calm.
- Visualize
Or, just imagine! Visualization meditation helps you by taking you to a place you are content. When exploring your happy place, you will relax and drift off fast.
- Apply pressure
Some of the main pressure points that promote sleep include between your eyebrows where there is a slight indent. Also, you can press between your big toe and your second toe.
- Try cherries
Cherries are rich in melatonin and drinking cherry juice 30 minutes after you wake up and 30 minutes before dinner will improve your sleep.
- Try using sleep gadgets
Technology isn’t all that bad; some apps can help you sleep better as they have features like white noise and other calming medication routines. Just make sure to use a blue light blocker.
- Have sex
Or, pleasure yourself. Nothing puts you to sleep faster than a good orgasm and, chances are, you will sleep deeply.
- Avoid deep conversations
Although conversations create an air of intimacy, when you delve in really deep matters, your brain will go into overdrive, and you won’t be able to sleep fast or well.