Sleeplessness can be infuriating. No one wants to lie awake at 3am staring at a clock and looking to a long day ahead. If you have trouble falling asleep, or even staying asleep, there are a few simple things that can help you get back to bed and fall asleep in a few minutes.
Avoid Stressful Situations Right Before Bed
Many people have a hard time falling asleep because they do not know how to quieten their minds. Avoiding stressful situations before bed can help keep the mind from racing and therefore help you fall asleep faster.
Also, avoid thinking about how your day was if it was a stressful one. When you think about or put yourself in stressful situations, your body releases the hormone cortisol. Although cortisol can help the body deal with stress, it makes it much harder to fall asleep.
Cultivate a Sleep Routine
There are two parts to cultivating a healthy sleep routine; getting into a relaxed mood before bed and trying to go to sleep at the same time every night. Getting into a soothing mood helps your mind transition from wake time to sleep time by helping it separate between daytime activities and sleep activities. Some relaxing activities you can do for better sleep in 2020 include reading a book, listening to some music, or even taking a relaxing bath before bedtime.
In regulating your sleep-wake cycle, try to sleep at the same time every day. Your mind will come to associate that time with sleep and you will start nodding off around that time.
Check Your Mattress
A good mattress can be the difference between a good night’s sleep and tossing and turning throughout the night. Many people also experience back pain because of their mattress. If this sounds like you, you should find the best mattresses for back pain. Such a mattress supports your back, spine and whole body ergonomically and can dramatically reduce your back pain. In addition, such a mattress helps you relax into the night and could go a long way in ensuring you get better sleep.
Avoid a Heavy Meal Right Before Bed
Even though it is commonly known that people find it harder to fall asleep after eating a heavy meal, many people forget it, hence the reminder. Also, eating foods that you are not sure whether they will give you indigestion or gas right before bedtime is a terrible idea. Try to finish your last meal at least three hours before bedtime for better sleep.
Exercise Earlier
Just as with stress, exercise stimulates the body to release cortisol, which we have already established makes it harder to fall asleep. If you work out late in the evening and have trouble falling asleep, try exercising no less than three hours to your bedtime. You could also try exercising right after you wake up.
That said, a good exercise routine can help you fall asleep faster and more soundly. Just be sure to get your mind in a relaxed mood before bed to negate the effects of cortisol and to shut your body down.
See a Doctor
If you have tried a lot of these tips and nothing seems to work, go see a doctor. Your issues with sleep might go much deeper than being in the wrong mood or not relaxing before bed. A doctor will pinpoint what your issue(s) is and help you get the sleep that you crave.
The key to better sleep lies within what you do around your bedtime. If you get into a relaxed mood, have a good sleeping environment and have no underlying issue, you can be assured that you will get better sleep in 2020.
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