A couple of years ago I hated when it was time to sleep. And the reason? Many times I had to walk around the house or just stare at the ceiling for hours while lying in bed. Sleeping became a problem for me. Therefore I searched a bit and found a few ways to help me out with my night time problem. I wish the tips could help all of you out there, having the same problem, but for example for people with insomnia I don’t think it will be much of a help. However try them out, if you haven’t already and see how it goes. In the worst case scenario set a meeting with a psychologist to help you.
There are plenty of reasons why you need to get a good sleeping session every night 7-9 hours, which are perfect for “Melatonin” production (the sleep hormone). First of all is one of the 3 things that keep you alive alongside healthy food and clean water. That’s why sleep deprivation is an important issue. Think yourself as a smartphone. After a few hours it will run out of battery (energy) and need recharging. Some caffeinated beverages will keep you more hours awake of course, but at some point their effects will stop and you will feel drained. Plus your system will get used to them and after overdosing yourself with them in the long run will not affect you anymore.
Losing your energy results in destroying your mood, having no power to do anything, not even simple tasks and your body remains in constant stress. That stress will create hormonal imbalance because it produces more cortisol (stress hormone), which affects your testosterone. Thus less muscle gains, and sex life. On the other hand, instead of gaining muscle, you have more chance of becoming obese, you get sick easier and your body’s healing powers also get slower. Moreover it might cause high blood pressure, diabetes, hallucinations and stroke. Last but not least being sleep deprived caused serious problems for your brain. You will have trouble with memory, learning ability, concentration, focus and reaction time.
Tips: 10 pm-2 am are the most relaxing hours. You don’t have to sleep at 10 pm but at least try sleeping at 12-1 pm for optimal recovery. Another tip is napping for 20 minutes can give you enough energy, creativity, productivity and focus to continue your tasks.
- Food and drink
Probably you heard a thousand times that you should eat 3-4 hours before going to bed. Actually that statement is both true and false at the same time. It depends on your metabolism. If it’s really fast you may need to eat and drink 2-3 hours before going to bed. Now if it’s slow, then 3-4 hours is what you should aim for. Make sure you don’t feel hungry or stuffed because in both cases you will find it difficult to sleep. Eat some small snacks. Also stay away from caffeine and alcohol for at least 6 hours before going to bed. - Sleep schedule
You may find this one weird but it does work. Try sleeping around the same time every night and your body will learn when it’s the sleeping time, resulting in sleeping easier. Of course sometimes you gonna have to go out with friends or a date and come home late. It’s fine as long as you sleep more hours the next day or sleep for a few hours in the afternoon to fill in the gap. - Exercise
Working out except of all the health benefits it provides, it can also help with sleeping problems. It doesn’t need an explanation really. The harder your workout is the more tired you are going to be and therefore you can’t wait to go to bed. - Feel comfortable
Find a good quality mattress and pillow that support the body in the proper way and feel comfy as well. It might cost you more but it’s a good one-time investment. So go for it.
- Electronic devices
All of them produce blue light while being on standby that you don’t notice. They make your brain stay active and they keep you awake. Turn off the computer screen, turn off the TV, turn off or cover up the mobile phone with a cloth, cover the digital clock next to your bed and anything else like that for at least 1 hour before sleeping. - Lower lights
It’s different from the electronic devices. It has to do with sunlight, electricity, candles etc. Lower or turn off everything you have in your bedroom a couple hours before sleeping and make your bedroom as dark as possible. It tells your body that is night time and the body produces melatonin (the sleep hormone) to get in the sleep cycle.
- Calming activities
Reading a book makes you sleepy because it makes your eyes tired of reading and not awake like reading something on the computer because of the blue light. Some people find music very calming and relaxing, depending on their genre choices. Last but not least, meditation relaxes you, calms down your mind and clears your head. - Think of nothing
Yes, you have read right. One of the biggest reasons you can’t sleep is because you start thinking different kinds of stuff the time you go to bed. That stimulates your brain, making it hard to shut down. I know it’s hard. However try to clear your brain from any thoughts. The more thoughts you remove the faster you are going to sleep. - Coldness
Helps a lot on falling asleep and having a deeper sleep. Start doing cold shower first of all. The colder the water you use the better. Keep the room temperature cool with adequate fresh air, but don’t go crazy with freezing yourself while sleeping. Also scientists claim that if you can make your pillow and mattress a bit cold helps a lot. - Use of flashlight
Everyone wants to go to the toilet or need water at some point. When that time comes make sure you have next to you a flashlight to move around without having to turn on the lights and wake you up completely.
From the first few weeks that I used these tips my sleep cycle improved and I could fell asleep again normally. Probably they will help you too if you blend them into your daily routines. However give time to your body to get used to them and synchronize your circadian rhythm (your internal clock). Because everything can affect it, don’t get frustrated if they don’t work in the first week, keep using these tips.
Share this article to inform more people and tell us your thoughts in the comments below: Do you find it difficult to fall asleep? Did you try these tips or any other? How did it go? What methods do you use to fall asleep?