It’s no fun to lay awake at night, when all you want to do is get some rest. While there is such a thing as insomnia, for many of us, the situation isn’t that serious, but not being able to fall asleep right away can become a problem. However, there are a few things you can do before going to bed that can make getting a good night’s rest come sooner than later.
It isn’t always possible to go to bed, lie down, and then fall right to sleep. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for our bodies to settle and for our minds to stop racing about the day’s events. But there are those moments when no matter what you do, hours later you’re still awake. Watching television and other methods may not always help. If you need some new ideas to help you get to sleep faster, check out the following tips for the next time you can’t get any shuteye.
Read a book.Whether you’re interested in the book or not, settling down and reading tends to put many people to sleep right away. This method even works for those who don’t like to read so if you’re having difficulty getting rest, pop open a novel and read until your lids start to feel heavy.
Magazines and other types of periodicals usually aren’t the best reading material for bedtime, as they tend to keep you awake with interesting stories and articles, which defeats the purpose. Picking up a 300-page novel that doesn’t contain pictures can be just enough to knock you out after a few pages.
Avoid food and drink.Try to avoid overeating and drinking a lot of liquids at least two hours before your scheduled bedtime. Certain foods can trigger heartburn, acid reflux, and an upset stomach, which will only serve to keep you up throughout the night.
Drinking too much water and other beverages before going to bed can cause frequent trips to the bathroom, which can affect your ability to sleep. If you have to snack, snack light and use the bathroom before getting comfortable in bed. Also avoid drinks that contain caffeine and alcohol. Skip nicotine, too, as these can all keep you awake at night.
Create a nighttime atmosphere. It can be hard to fall asleep if you have a bunch of lights on, have sounds from outside coming through your window or have the television on. By making your room dark and quiet, the mood will train your body to wind down, making sleep easier.
When you don’t have sounds, images, and other factors capturing your attention, your body and mind won’t have anything else to think about other than sleep. Also avoid looking at the clock. This can cause your mind to go into overdrive by calculating how many hours you have before you need to wake up.
Sleep at night.Taking a cat nap or two during the day is perfectly fine but making a habit of it can confuse your body and make it unaccustomed to sleeping during the night. Train yourself to go to bed at a regular time during the evening so your body can get used to it. Also avoid taking a nap or falling asleep too early in the evening, since this can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night, making it harder to go back to sleep.