There’s nothing worse than lying in bed, tired from the day but unable to sleep. Seconds, minutes, and hours go by, but all you can is toss and turn. It’s one of the worst feelings in the world.
If this is you, do not despair! Below we cover 6 important tips that will help you not only fall asleep faster, but get better quality sleep.
1. Create the right sleeping environment
If you’re going to fall asleep fast, and stay asleep, there are a couple of basic rules you should follow in your bedroom.
First of all, try to make it as dark as possible. Use blackout curtains, thick shades or an eye mask to eliminate as much light as you can. You’ll also want to make sure your room is the right temperature. This is usually between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit for most people, although you’ll have to find the right temperature for you.
Lastly, consider blocking out noise with earplugs or by listening to white noise, and adding a relaxing scent to the room with lavender or vanilla essential oils, which can help you relax and drift off to sleep.
2. Exercise
If you want to get to sleep faster, exercising during the day will help immensely. Being active during the day means you’ll be more tired at night. Studies show that exercising regularly can help you sleep better and longer, plus it’s an excellent outlet for relieving stress and reducing anxiety.
Whether you work out outside or you’re more interested in fitness at home, getting your heart pumping and your body moving is what matters.
All types of exercise will help, though yoga in particular is considered to be especially effective in helping you get to sleep as it helps reduce hyperarousal, release toxins, calm the mind and reduce anxiety, stress and depression.
3. Eat right
It’s important to eat a healthy diet that is rich in nutrients, as this impacts not only our general health and our brain health but also our sleep. In fact, the right diet allows our brains to produce the neurotransmitters needed to allow us to get sleep.
In general, you should be eating fruit, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. It’s also important to avoid caffeine close to bedtime and also to manage our portions.
A 2016 study revealed that people who ate more sugar and saturated fats and less fiber slept less and woke up more. Foods you might consider eating before you hit the sack to help you sleep are almonds, walnuts, turkey, kiwi, oatmeal, and dairy products. These are considered sleep-enhancing foods as they contain melatonin, magnesium, antioxidants and nutrients.
4. Make sleep a priority
These days we’re busier than ever. Between work, family, friends, sports, and hobbies, it’s easy to forget to slow down. If you’re one of those people that puts sleep on the bottom of his list of priorities, it’s time to make a change. Get to bed early enough to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep. Skip Netflix, leave the dishes in the sink, and go get some sleep.
If you’ve got kids, then sleep may very well be a distant memory. You’ve probably got a lot on your plate, between cleaning up and organizing toys and games, prepping meals, doing laundry, etc., but it’s important that you don’t let sleep fall by the wayside. Sleep must be prioritized as a part of self care. When we’re tired, we’re more irritable and less patient, and everyone suffers.
5. Invest in the right bed
Are you a side sleeper, a back sleeper or a combination sleeper? Do you sleep hot or cold? Do you wake up with aches and pains in your back, your neck or your legs? Not all mattresses are created equal, and it’s very important to find the right mattress to meet your specific sleep needs. It will take you longer to get comfortable and fall asleep, and you won’t get a good night’s rest, if your mattress type doesn’t cater to your sleep preferences.
6. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness can be extremely effective in helping you fall asleep faster, especially if you feel like you can’t calm your thoughts once you get into bed. The goal to achieve a more relaxed state of mind and stop worrying; to do this there are two main types of meditation.
The first is a breathing awareness exercise where you essentially focus all of your attention on your breath, and the other is a body scan relaxation exercise where you focus on different parts of your body as a way to relax.
Studies show that mindfulness is helpful for falling asleep as well as for insomnia. Even better, it can be used throughout the day whenever you feel the need to calm your mind.
Hopefully these handy tips will help you get to bed faster and sleep longer and better. Be kind to yourself and be sure to make sleep a priority.