If you’re in bed tonight googling- “How to Fall Asleep Naturally.”
If you haven’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks or even months.
If you wake up too early and fall asleep too late, we see you.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder which makes it difficult for you to fall asleep, stay asleep, or both. It may even result in tiredness in the day and make it difficult to function. There are several kinds of insomnia, consisting of:
Onset insomnia: You have trouble falling asleep.
Maintenance insomnia: You have trouble staying asleep.
Early morning awakening insomnia: You wake up too early and can’t fall back asleep.
Even if you have insomnia or not, there are 7 ways that you can get a good night’s sleep tonight.
- Try to Wake Up at the Same Time Every Day: While it is tempting to get that extra hour of sleep on weekends, it is important that you train your body to wake up at the same time every day. This not only makes you have a consistent sleep schedule, but also helps you combat insomniac blues.
- Say No to Alcohol and Stimulants like Nicotine and Caffeine: The interesting thing about caffeine is that it lasts more than you think it is. It stays in your body for several hours lasting upto 24 hours. Therefore, it impacts your sleep cycle and makes you experience difficulty in falling asleep. Alcohol has a similar effect on your body. While they may have a sedative effect for the first few hours after consumption, they can result in frequent arousals and restless sleep. In case you’re on medications acting as stimulants consisting of decongestants or asthma inhalers, it is wise to ask your healthcare provider the timing at which they should be taken to minimize the effect it has on your sleep cycle.
- Napping is a No: Nothing seems better than napping in the middle of the day, right? Wrong. It is extremely essential to establish and have a consistent sleep pattern and train yourself to associate your sleep with external cues such as darkness and a timely bedtime. Napping has the potential to affect the quality of sleep at night.
- Workout Regularly: Exercising regularly can enhance not only the quality of sleep but the duration as well. It is important to note that exercising immediately before sleeping should be avoided as it has a stimulating effect on the body. You may exercise three hours before you decide to sleep.
- Prevent Activities in Bed Before Bedtime: Your bed isn’t a place for working, balancing the checkbook, watching television or taking calls. Limiting the bed to sleep helps you make that space restricted to rest. The rest of activities simply increase your alertness and make you experience difficulty in falling asleep.
- Avoid Eating or Drinking Anything Before Bed: Snacking before bed or having a late dinner can make your digestive system active and keep you awake and restless. In case you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) or heartburn, it becomes even more essential that you prevent eating or drinking before bedtime because this has the potential to make your symptoms worse. Moreover, drinking a lot of fluids and overhydrating yourself before bed can overwhelm your bladder and make you visit the bathroom more than usual, disrupting your sleep.
- Turn your Sleeping Environment into a Comfort Space: The temperature, lighting and noise, all play an essential role in helping you sleep at night. Your bed should be comfortable and neat, and there should be no noise or disruption in your surroundings. All these factors can help you fall asleep on time.
By incorporating these seven strategies into your routine, you’ll be well on your way to achieving a more restful and rejuvenating sleep, leaving you feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.
