Sometimes it seems almost impossible to fall asleep. You twist and turn fluffing your pillow, but nothing seems to work. After a short time, you are so worried about not being able to sleep that you actually give up any possibility of closing your eyes. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to make sleep easier. Mental rest, relaxation, proper diet and exercise are all factors that signal the body to slow down, stop and let yourself rest.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Calming the Mind
Step 1. Set up a "good night ritual"
Following a "pre-sleep" schedule helps the body understand that it's time to sleep. Try to go to bed at the same time every night and always get up at the same time in the morning. It sends other signals to the body that it is time to stop, relax and think about sleep.
- One tip is to slowly darken the surrounding environment. The dim lights signal the body that it is time to sleep. For example, avoid exposing yourself to natural evening light and start dimming the lights in your room or at least gradually turning them off.
- Make the bedroom a comfortable environment. Cover the bed with comfy blankets and pillows; also make sure that the temperature in the room is pleasant. Turn the pillows, arrange the blankets, or turn on a fan.
- Do whatever it takes to feel relaxed. Take a warm shower if you think it will help, or drink a warm, sleep-inducing herbal tea, such as chamomile or a blend of rest-inducing herbs.
Step 2. Read a book
If reading gets you to sleep in class, it should be just as effective when you're home in the evening. This is a very effective strategy if you tend to mull over the problems of the day; reading a book can distract you from these stress-increasing thoughts.
Choose an easy or undemanding reading. You do not have to burden yourself with other reasons for stress by reading the newspaper, for example, or a story of terror. Rather, take a textbook or complex novel
Step 3. Turn off all lights
When you finally find yourself in bed, make sure the environment is completely dark. This is one of the most important variables for sleeping well. Light not only inhibits the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone, but also stimulates the hypothalamus to raise the body's temperature and produce cortisol, both of which cause the body to wake up and alert.
Even if you manage to fall asleep with the lights on, you will still not be able to sleep soundly. If you live in the city, share a room with a night owl or otherwise have to leave the lights on even at night, put a mask over your eyes to try to sleep better. Eventually also try to use low intensity night lights
Step 4. Leave electronic devices out of the room
Your TV, phone, and computer may tempt and distract you. These are other elements that cause the brain to stay awake and alert. In fact, you should be very cautious and avoid using them before bed, because the light from the monitors can reduce the quality of sleep.
- One study found that two hours of exposure to light from iPad or other electronic devices at night reduced melatonin levels by about 22%. Change your evening habits if you usually use these devices.
- If you suffer from insomnia, resist the temptation to surf the internet in the evening. Computer, mobile or tablet monitors are backlit, stimulating the brain to stay awake and lower melatonin levels.
- Set a time to turn off all electronic devices you use at night, such as 30 minutes before bedtime.
- You can also download programs and apps or change settings on some devices to reduce the amount of blue light they emit when it's time to go to bed. The screen will perhaps turn yellow or red, colors that do not tire the eyes and that do not inhibit the production of melatonin.
Step 5. Listen for white noise
It is a low and constant noise that remains in the background and somehow "eliminates" the other noises. For white noise you could choose light music, rainforest sounds, or even the simple noise of a spinning fan. The important thing is that it is a low intensity sound.
You can find white noise generators on the internet and you can download them for free. If you prefer to have them in your mobile, you can download paid applications. These generators can help you fall asleep more easily by muffling external sounds
Step 6. Free your mind
If you are a person who tends to be restless, try to get the stressful thoughts of the school or work day out of your mind. Don't dwell on the problems or issues of the day. If you find that you tend to engage in these behaviors, try listening to music and focus all your thoughts on it, letting go until you can fall asleep.
Calming a worried mind is sometimes not easy. For example, you can try "counting sheep" while also trying to visualize them mentally instead of just thinking about the words
Step 7. Don't wait for insomnia to clear up on its own
Studies have found that staying in bed without sleep can make it worse because the brain begins to associate bed with being awake. If you find that you can't fall asleep within about 20 minutes, get up and do something for a while, like reading. When you start feeling tired again, go back to bed.
Try changing seats as a last resort. If you don't feel comfortable in bed, go to the sofa and try sleeping there. Sometimes the change works
Method 2 of 3: Relax the Body
Step 1. Exercise regularly
Working out during the day is an incredibly effective way to get a better night's rest. In fact, it seems that exercise affects sleep quality in such a direct way that most of the suggestions in this article originate from observing how much exercise exhausts an individual's energy. Just make sure you don't train during the three hours before bedtime, as the exercise has a momentary stimulating effect.
Step 2. Go to the bathroom
Empty your bladder and bowels just before bed. This frees up your digestive system and you can fall asleep more easily, without waking up during the night. For the same reason, don't drink too much fluids in the hours leading up to bedtime, as you may be forced to get up in the middle of the night. Limit drinks after 8pm.
Step 3. Find a comfortable position
Get as comfortable as possible when you go to sleep. If some garments are too tight, don't hesitate to take them off. Among these you could consider the headband, socks, bra, and any other item of clothing that does not allow proper blood circulation. Also make sure you have enough pillows and blankets to be comfortable.
Step 4. Find the right sleeping position
If you pay attention, you can realize if you are sleeping with poor posture or putting tension in certain parts of the body. Keep your back straight and make sure your neck isn't too high or too low. If the mattress is too hard or too soft, you can replace it, cover it with a foam mat, or even sleep with a body support pillow so you can find a comfortable position.
Method 3 of 3: Eat and Drink for Better Sleep
Step 1. Eat sleep-inducing foods
The term "soporific" means "which stimulates sleep". Some foods, such as cheese, chicken, soy products, eggs, fish, milk, turkey, nuts, peanuts and peanut butter, pumpkin and sesame seeds, are rich in amino acids. and tryptophans which perform a relaxing action. Try to choose foods with these characteristics, especially at dinner.
- To activate tryptophan more effectively, choose foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates, but with a medium to low protein content. In fact, carbohydrates increase the amount of tryptophan available to the brain, while proteins create the opposite effect.
- "Good night meal" program high in complex carbohydrates and tryptophan. Try pasta with parmesan, hummus with wholemeal pita bread, toast with peanut butter, salad with tuna and a sprinkle of sesame seeds with wholemeal crackers or a baked potato with ricotta.
Step 2. Eat light meals
Don't overdo portions when eating in the late afternoon or evening, as this could affect your sleep quality. Eating light is more likely to sleep well, while large, high-fat meals prolong digestion, increase gas production, and stomach noises that can keep you awake.
Some people find that highly aromatic foods (such as hot peppers and garlic) interfere with the quality of sleep, especially individuals with stomach problems. Do not eat them if you suffer from some gastric disorder
Step 3. Avoid caffeine and alcohol
These substances are bad for your sleep-wake rhythm. Coffee stays in the body for more than eight hours from the time of ingestion, so a cup of coffee in the evening can keep you awake late into the night. Try to avoid caffeinated drinks in the late afternoon and early evening.
Alcohol is also bad for rest. When you drink, you tend to get a lighter night's sleep, and the deep, restorative periods of the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) phase are shorter. So even if you think a drink or two will help you fall asleep in the evening, they actually have the opposite effect
Step 4. Have a warm, relaxing drink
Many people swear that a cup of herbal tea or a glass of warm milk before bed is effective, and research supports this belief. Dairy products such as milk are rich in tryptophan and stimulate the brain to produce sleep-inducing chemicals, such as serotonin and melatonin.
It has also been claimed for many years that chamomile helps with insomnia. In fact, recent animal studies have shown that it can reduce anxiety symptoms and help a little with insomnia problems. If you don't have chamomile tea, try drinking other herbal teas such as lemon, ginger, or ginger and raspberry
Step 5. Try magnesium supplements
Research appears to argue that these supplements help improve sleep quality. Try taking a small dose, such as 350 mg or the one recommended by the manufacturer. See if it actually helps you sleep better after a few nights.
Be sure to check with your doctor before you start using these supplements to make sure you can take them safely
Step 6. Talk to your doctor about taking sleeping pills
Medicines should be the last resort. The problem is that sleeping pills are not the "magic pill" that solves all evil. Many are addictive, which means they are addictive and do not provide you with the rest and deep sleep you need. they also cause various side effects, such as sleepiness, headaches, memory problems and unusual behaviors such as sleepwalking.
Consider sleeping pills as a last resort. If you start to depend on these drugs, it will be even more difficult to sleep well
Warnings
- If you have been suffering from sleep disturbances for some time, with irregular sleep-wake cycles, see a doctor as soon as possible. It could be a sign of some serious health problem that requires prompt treatment. Don't underestimate these symptoms.
- Do not take sleeping pills if you think you need to operate heavy machinery, including driving a car, truck, earthmoving or agricultural machinery.
