You need to go to bed early or take a nap, but for some reason you don't feel tired and can't sleep? There are several tricks you can use to relax your mind and body and make you fall asleep faster. If you don't feel tired every time you have to go to sleep, you can also change your daily routine to be able to fall asleep more easily. Keep reading.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Relax the Body
Step 1. Change the room temperature by making it slightly colder; a drop in temperature induces drowsiness
But try not to get too cold, especially in the feet, as it could disturb your sleep, so wear socks. You may have to wake up during the night to take them off, but it's still better than staying awake because your feet are cold.
It can take your body several hours to cool down if you've exercised or been warm, so make sure it's at the right temperature before going to sleep
Step 2. Adjust the lighting
If you prefer a completely dark room, you need to cover all light sources, including the digital alarm clock and the television. If you prefer to sleep in dim light, wear a mask or dim the lights as needed to help you sleep. Avoid leaving them on, they would prevent you from relax disturbing your rest.
Step 3. Adjust the sound level
Try some device that generates white noise (such as a sound machine, a blowing fan, etc.) - it has been shown to help you fall asleep more easily. Also, many people find the ticking of a clock very relaxing. If you prefer absolute silence, turn off anything that makes noise.
You can also try using ear plugs before going to sleep. It can take some time to get used to, but they can block out the noises that prevented you from sleeping peacefully without you noticing. They can also be very helpful if you share a bed with a partner who may wake you up
Step 4. Find a comfortable sleeping position
Keep your back straight and make sure your neck is neither too high nor too low. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as this will force your neck into uncomfortable positions. If you sleep on your side, place a thin or rolled pillow between your knees to keep your hips in a natural position. Turning from right to left can also help you fall asleep if you can't fall asleep in the same position all the time.
Step 5. The bed must be comfortable
Swap your old baggy mattress for the one in the guest room. If you have a lumpy one, try turning it upside down, covering it with more than one sheet or padding. The more comfortable your bed, the more you will want to go to sleep. Everyone, at least once, fell asleep in a nice hammock in the sun, even though we weren't sleepy, right? Well, a cozy bed can have the same effect.
Step 6. Get some exercise at least 3 hours before bed
Go to the gym or run, take a long walk, or try stretching to get your heart rate up before bed. you will make your body work and eventually you will feel tired. This will prevent adrenaline from keeping you awake at bedtime. If you exercise just before bed, however, you will not be able to fall asleep.
Step 7. Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine just before bedtime
While a glass of wine can cause some sleepiness, consuming alcohol before bed can disrupt your sleep cycle and you won't be able to sleep soundly. If you want to drink a glass, do it 2-3 hours before bed, so you will be able to fall asleep better. As for caffeine, it should be avoided after 2-3 pm (it would be better after noon), as it takes about 8 hours to completely leave your system and therefore could make you feel awake and active even when you want to go to sleep.
Step 8. Drink cherry juice or snack on a variety of foods rich in melatonin, known to make you sleepy and fall asleep faster
While you shouldn't eat before bed to avoid indigestion or other ailments, try these foods a few hours before bed to induce sleep:
- Barley.
- Tomatoes.
- Rice.
- Sweet corn.
- Oats.
- Oranges.
- Bananas.
Step 9. Curl your toes
When you go to bed, bend your toes upward for a few seconds, relax them, and then repeat. This way you can relax your body and mind, so do it 10 times if you feel too awake and want to be able to fall asleep.
Step 10. Drink herbal tea
Whether it is with peppermint or chamomile flowers, it helps to relax the body and mind, allowing for sleep. Drink a cup about 2 hours before bed (don't drink right before bed or you'll have to get up to go to the bathroom!). If drinking herbal tea before bed becomes part of your daily routine, you will be able to fall asleep faster.
Step 11. Have a light and healthy dinner
Eat a good dose of carbohydrates, proteins, and fruits and vegetables every night. Avoid spicy or overly heavy meals, which are high in fat and sugar, or your body will suffer during the night, preventing you from having a peaceful sleep. A healthy and balanced dinner is the trick to making you feel tired and relaxed for the night. Eat at least 3 hours before bed to help digestion. Here are some options for feeling tired and relaxed and equally healthy:
- Wholemeal pasta with cheese.
- Tofu and couscous.
- A glass of warm milk with oatmeal.
- Rice noodles with salmon and cabbage.
Part 2 of 3: Calming the Mind
Step 1. Try to get bored
This method can vary from person to person, however you need to do an activity that is calming and sleep inducing, not that you wake up even more. Slow, soothing music can help, or you can read something you find particularly boring. Games and puzzles such as Sudoku or Solitaire can also be used. Listen to a very boring playlist, play tic-tac-toe alone or tidy up the stack of papers on your desk. Do whatever is as boring to you as possible.
Step 2. Do breathing exercises
Try abdominal breathing, Pranayama or one minute of controlled breathing. Close your eyes and focus on your breath; in this way you will relax the parts of your body one at a time. Focusing on your body will prevent you from thinking about the world around you.
Step 3. Visualize something relaxing and repetitive in your mind
For example, think of slow waves that rock your body at regular intervals, coinciding with your breath. Meditate to calm your body and clear your mind. Don't think of anything exciting or thrilling or you won't be able to sleep anymore. Imagine a relaxing beach, a beautiful forest or a rose garden and think about walking through these places.
Think of a beautiful and relaxing place you have visited, such as a stream of clear water in a flower field in the mountains. Such an image should help you relax
Step 4. Reading can calm your mind and distract you from the bad thoughts of the day
Choose something light, like the news of the day, a paperback, or a historical novel. If you read a gripping thriller or disturbing news, you may not be able to sleep anymore as you will be completely immersed in the reading.
Challenge yourself to read the most boring thing in your home, like your old school textbooks or an article about another country's economic status
Step 5. Eliminate all visual stimuli at least an hour before bedtime
Put away your tablet, cell phone, computer and turn off the television. Your eyes must begin to rest and stop looking at those images that make you more awake and active and prevent you from concentrating. Stop being one of those people who fall asleep while watching television or with a cell phone in hand and get rid of those visual distractions that keep you awake and prevent you from falling asleep.
Step 6. Listen to the recorded meditation
You can find many of these recordings (meditations, guides) that you can listen to in the evening to relax. You can also do a search on YouTube, for example. Alternatively, you could try apps like "Headspace" or "Calm", which are digital services that offer guided meditation sessions for a fee.
Step 7. Follow the 15 minute rule
It's very simple: if you stay in bed for more than 15 minutes and can't fall asleep because you're not sleepy, try something else. If you keep lying in bed doing nothing, your mind will continue to travel, making you more awake than you already were before bed. Try doing some activity that doesn't need a lot of concentration; read a magazine, walk around the room, drink an herbal tea, hum to yourself, sit down and look at your hands. Try doing something new and you will start falling asleep.
Whatever you do, be sure to keep the lights low (or dim, if you're reading)
Step 8. Avoid intense discussions before going to bed
Five minutes before bed is not a good time to have a furious fight with your loved one or to call a friend and complain about the stressful day you had at work. If you live with someone and can't help but talk, avoid topics that are more important than the type of tea you will have to buy the next day at the grocery store. If not, the conversation will keep you more awake and alert and it will take you much longer to fall asleep.
If you live with someone who enjoys having important conversations before bed, schedule them 2-3 hours before bed if you can
Step 9. Think about what you did during the day
Do it down to the smallest detail; it is a way to relax the mind before going to sleep. Start by thinking about how many blackberries you put in your breakfast cereal and finish with which tooth you brushed last before going to bed. Try moving on from hour to hour and see how many details you can remember. Unless you are a superhero or an emergency room doctor, you will get bored very soon and fall asleep.
If you've been thinking about it all day and you're still not sleepy, start thinking about the past week. Surely this will bore you enough to make you fall asleep
Part 3 of 3: Developing Sleeping Habits
Step 1. Find a routine that works for you to fall asleep
If you want to be tired when it's time to go to bed, you need to build a routine that starts at least half an hour before bed and that allows you to relax and fall asleep as soon as you touch the bed. This can include some light reading, listening to classical music, or doing any activity that is mild and not intense, so that you forget your problems and start realizing that your body needs rest.
Once you've found your routine, stick with it, and if you happen to have to go to bed earlier one night, start it a little early so that you feel tired at the right time
Step 2. Try to go to bed at about the same time every night
You may not feel sleepy when you try to go to sleep 3 hours earlier than usual if you need to wake up early the next day. If you want to fall asleep easily, try to go to bed at about the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. This way, your body will get used to feeling tired at a certain time in the evening and will be more active in the morning.
Step 3. Use your bed only for sleep and sex
If you want to fall asleep early every night while lying in bed, don't watch TV, don't do your homework, don't call friends, and do nothing but sleep or have sex. If your body and mind associate only sleep and sex with bed, it will be easier to fall asleep without having to think about the phone call you made with your best friend or all the homework or work you still need to do.
Find a space in your home or a room to designate "for work only". That way you'll leave the relaxing stuff for when you go to bed
Step 4. Go under the sunlight as soon as you wake up
Once up, put your head out the window or go to the balcony as soon as you can. The bright sunlight will tell your body's biological clock that it's time to wake up and help you get sleepy after about 14-16 hours, helping to stabilize your routine.
Step 5. Establish a "worry time" throughout the day
If one of the reasons you can't fall asleep is because you spend at least 2 hours worrying about your relationship, health, work and so on, then you need a time of day to worry about so you don't have it when you have to go to sleep. It may sound silly, but if you say "I'll be worrying from 5 to 5.30 every afternoon" and all you do is worry, write these concerns down on paper or repeat them aloud during that time, then you will have vented.
If you're just waiting for bedtime to think about your problems, then you won't be able to fall asleep and stay awake for quite a while
Step 6. Try taking a warm bath or hot shower before going to bed
One or the other will raise your body temperature. Moving to a cooler environment (your bedroom) will lower the temperature again, which will signal your body that it's time to sleep.
Step 7. Drive your puppy out of the room
Another way to develop a healthy sleep routine is to prevent your dog or cat from sleeping in your bed. While there is nothing in the world you love more than your puppy's warmth warming you at night, studies have shown that those who sleep with their pet have a harder time falling asleep and waking up, as they may be awakened by this. last during the night.
You may think that sleeping next to your puppy will make you fall asleep better, but it will actually keep you awake even more
Advice
- Sleep with a large pillow or stuffed animal - no one likes sleeping alone!
- Hug your favorite puppet, close your eyes and think about what makes you happy.
- Listen to relaxing music.
- Don't drink too much water before going to bed.
- Listen to a recording of the sounds of the forest or the ocean.
- Open the window to let fresh air into the room.
- Herbal teas based on valerian, chamomile and other relaxing herbs can help, which help you sleep without the side effects of sleeping pills.
- Try counting sheep; you will fall asleep almost immediately.
- It may help to drink some warm milk before going to bed.
- Surround yourself with calming, peaceful things that can help you fall asleep.
