Content

• Steps
• Advice

A lot of people have trouble sleeping, turning like that for hours before actually falling into deep sleep. This can be a frustrating issue as it reduces sleep time, leaving you tired and upset the next day. Fortunately, there are ways to help relax your body and mind and improve your ability to fall asleep both in the short and long term. This article will guide you.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Optimizing your sleep environment

1. 

   Keep the bedroom cool. Sleeping in a hot room makes you want to turn around and fall asleep due to a nightmare; on the contrary, a cool, dark environment helps you fall asleep faster and sleep better. The optimal temperature for sleep is between 18-20 degrees Celsius. So, you should lower the temperature before you get under the blanket.
   • Of course, it will not be easy to sleep if the bedroom is too cold, so you need to try lowering the temperature several times to determine the best temperature. Remember that curled up in a blanket in a cold room is better than kicking a blanket in a hot room.
   • If you feel hot or sweaty, there are other ways you can stay cool. Consider buying a cooling pad and desiccant bed sheet to keep the body temperature low and absorb sweat from the skin.

2. 

   
   
   Turn off all lights and electrical appliances. Darkness helps the brain process the information that it's time to sleep, causing the brain to secrete hormones that aid in sleep. Turning on too many lights or looking at the screen for too long before bed can slow down the secretion of these hormones and make it harder for you to fall asleep. To avoid this, keep your bedroom as dark as possible and turn off all electronics at least an hour before going to bed.
   • Avoid putting a luminous clock in the bedroom. Knowing that it's already 3 o'clock in the morning and you're still awake doesn't help either. This simply makes you more anxious and difficult to fall asleep.
   • Avoid installing television or games in your bedroom and try not to bring your laptop to bed. The brain needs to define the bedroom as a place for quietness and rest, not a place for work and play.
   • Turn off your mobile phone or at least set it to "do not disturb" mode. If you put your phone on your bedside table, the urge to check email, Facebook or check the time will keep you awake.

3. 

   
   
   Make sure pillows and cushions are comfortable. If your bed feels uncomfortable, it's not uncommon for you to have trouble falling asleep. Consider whether you should invest in a new bed mattress, or buy a harder or softer one depending on your needs. Or you can try turning the mattress over as the underside is usually less exposed. People with neck or back problems may find it better to use an foam pillow as they flex to the body and provide needed support.
   • If buying a new bed mattress seems a bit overwhelming, you might consider buying a new bed set. Find as many fibers as possible to buy sheets of fabric and choose a cover to suit your personal preference. If you like cold, cool sheets, you should choose Percale fabrics. If you like warm and comfortable sheets, choose a felt fabric. If you like bed sheets that create a sense of luxury, you should choose Egyptian cotton.
   • Wash your sheets at least once a week as many people sleep better when they are clean and cool. Also, try to get into the habit of folding your blankets every morning. A neatly folded bed will stimulate sleep more than a cluttered bed.

4. 

   
   
   Create a mild scent in the bedroom with essential oils. Something as simple as a teaspoon of essential oil can help your body relax and drift your mind toward the dreamland. According to many studies, lavender is the number 1 scent stimulates deep sleep, while helping people fall asleep faster. Choose a bottle of high-quality lavender essential oil and use one of the following ways:
   • Put a few drops of essential oil on the cloth and tuck it under the pillow case. Dilute a few drops of essential oil in a little water and put it in a diffuser in your bedroom, or use lavender water to iron the bed sheet. If you can, ask someone else to relax by using lavender essential oil as a massage oil. Alternatively, you can place a bag of lavender under your pillow.
   • If you don't like lavender, there are a number of other relaxing and soothing scents you can try to aid in sleep. Bergamot, oregano, sandalwood, and geranium essential oils are all great options.

5. 

   Turn your bedroom into a quiet area. The distracting or distracting sounds are a big hindrance to falling asleep. Try to keep your bedroom as quiet as possible by closing doors or windows or asking your loved one to turn off the television. For force majeure noises, such as loud snoring or loud parties upstairs, you can try wearing noise-canceling headphones. It may feel a bit strange or annoying at first, but as you get used to it, you will no longer be aware of any annoying things outside.
   • Another option is to buy a white noise machine or app, which is a device that generates random sounds at multiple frequencies to drown out other noises. The actual white noise can be a bit hard to hear, so many models make a "colored" noise that is softer and resembles the sound of a waterfall or a gentle hum.
   • You can also buy CDs that play relaxing songs or even natural sounds. Turn on the CD to play music as background sound during sleep. However, try not to sleep while wearing the headphones as the headphones can be inconvenient or confusing while you are sleeping.
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Part 2 of 4: Mental and physical preparation for sleep

1. 

   Soak in a hot tub. A relaxing soak in a hot tub is a tried and tested method to help you fall asleep faster. This method is effective for many reasons. First, taking a bath can help reduce stress and keep your mind from thinking about your worries - what keeps you awake at night. Second, a hot bath raises your body temperature, but the temperature will drop quickly when you get out of the tub. This process "mimics" brain activity, stimulating hormones to cool the body when it is bedtime.
   • You can improve the quality of a sleep-stimulating bath by adding a few drops of your favorite essential oils, such as lavender or chamomile, to the bath water. Also, why don't you turn on soothing music and light a few candles during the relaxing bath?
   • If you don't have time to take a bath (or don't have a bath), a hot shower can do the same thing. Just keep the water temperature above 38 degrees C and shower for at least 20 minutes for best results.

2. 

   Snack and drink warm water. Eating a lot right before going to bed isn't a good idea, but letting your stomach rumble is even worse, keeping you awake. So, try not to go to bed on an empty stomach. A snack before bed, like a piece of fruit, a few crackers or a low-fat yogurt, is perfect. Drink some calming chamomile tea or passion fruit tea, or drink a cup of warm milk containing the sleep-stimulating hormone melatonin.
   • Any snack with complex carbohydrates, such as bread or whole grain flour, is good because they increase the amount of tryptophan in the body. Tryptopin is a chemical that stimulates the brain to produce more hormone serotonin - a happy, relaxing hormone that helps stimulate sleep.
   • Some great bedtime snacks to consider are nuts (especially pumpkin seeds), whole grain breads or a little cheese biscuits, or whole grains and warm milk. Avoid greasy or hot spicy foods.

3. 

   Wear comfortable pajamas. As mentioned above, feeling comfortable in bed is essential for you to fall asleep quickly. Therefore, it is also important to wear comfortable pajamas. Avoid wearing pajamas that are too tight, made of uncomfortable fabrics, or that have buttons on them while you sleep. Choose loose and soft sleepwear that won't make you too hot or too cold in the middle of the night.
   • If your pajamas are too tight, you can sleep naked. Many people enjoy the feeling of freedom and comfort when sleeping naked, especially when it's hot. Just make sure no one unexpectedly approaches you, especially if you have a habit of kicking off blankets!

4. 

   Muscle relaxants. Doing a few simple stretches before bed can help reduce muscle tension and help your body feel more comfortable preparing for sleep. In fact, a study by the Center for Cancer Research in Seattle (USA) found that women who relax the upper and lower body muscles 15-30 minutes before bedtime can reduce problems related to up to 30% of falling asleep.
   • Try lying on your back on a bed or on the floor, curling your right leg as if trying to touch your knees to your chin. You should feel the muscles of your back thighs and lower back relax. Hold this for 15-20 seconds, then repeat on your left leg.
   • Sit cross-legged, place your right hand on the floor, next to your body, while lifting your left arm above your ear. Lean to the right, lower shoulders, and one buttocks touching the floor. Hold for 10-15 seconds, then repeat on the other side. This action stretches the neck, back, shoulders, and intercostal muscles.
   • If you want to learn more about stretching techniques, you can read the article on stretching.

5. 

   Read, write, or play a game before bed. Reading, writing, or playing a simple game can help you relax before bed by relieving stress and distracting you from thinking about other issues.
   • If you choose to read, don't choose books that are too stimulating or scary because they increase your heart rate. Choose something a little dull like a newspaper or a textbook that will make the eyelids droopy.
   • Some people find journaling also therapeutic because it helps to "pull" the problems you are having out of your head and put them on paper. Or you could try writing a list, for example, about the things you ate for the day, or the chores to get done tomorrow. This routine can be tedious and will hopefully help you fall asleep quickly.
   • Crosswords or simple numbers like Sudoku or crossword puzzles can be a relaxing evening activity that helps your brain get tired before bed.
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Part 3 of 4: Using distraction techniques

1. 

   Counting sheeps. Counting sheep is an effective secret to help you fall asleep. It requires enough mental concentration to stop thinking about other things but also boring enough for you to fall asleep quickly. Try counting sheep as long as you can imagine a sheep jumping over a fence, or using what psychologists recommend is counting down from 300 every 3 seconds.
   • Count to 10, inhale deeply, then count to 10 while exhaling vigorously.

2. 

   Focus on muscle relaxation. Muscle tension and muscle tension are tried and tested relaxation techniques that reduce the feeling of muscle fatigue and help you fall asleep quickly. This procedure is to focus on each part of the body one after another, causing them to consciously stretch and then stretch. Start with your toes and then move to each part of your body until you reach the top of your head.

3. 

   Get out of bed. It may sound weird, but sometimes, the best thing you can do when you have trouble sleeping is get out of bed and do something that distracts you. Lying on the bed and worrying that you can't sleep isn't going to help. You can try reading, watching TV, listening to music or making a snack. Get out of bed for 30-60 minutes or until you start to feel tired. This technique helps the brain remember which bed to sleep.

4. 

   Thinking about a calm image or perspective. Visualizing a calm or relaxing image is a great way to distract. Think of the oceans, rainbows, tropical islands, or anything else that makes you feel peaceful and happy. A more complex technique is to think about an imaginary scenario or activity that you enjoy. Imagine yourself as a superhero or celebrity, designing your dream home in mind or thinking about playing in a room full of kittens or puppies.

5. 

   Listen to music or ambient sounds. Calming music or sound recordings can be very effective at distracting you and bringing your brain to sleep. Some people like to hear the sound of rain, some people like the noise in the forest, others are interested in the sound of whales.Or some people sleep more easily when listening to soothing classical music. advertisement

Part 4 of 4: Apply a permanent solution

1. 

   Reduce caffeine consumption. If you often have trouble falling asleep, then maybe it's time to reduce your caffeine intake.
   • Caffeine can stay in the body for up to 5 hours after being loaded, so it's best to have your last cup of coffee at noon.
   • Switch to a caffeinated herbal tea in the afternoon and try combining the tea with special "sleep-inducing" ingredients like chamomile or valerian before bed.

2. 

   Take a sleep supplement. There are many supplements available at drugstores and health food stores that help stimulate the levels of sleep-aiding hormone in the body.
   • Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep. You can buy melatonin inexpensively as a supplement. Usually, a low dose before bedtime is fine.
   • Chlor Trimeton, an antihistamine, is another sleep-inducing supplement and helps with sleep problems.
   • Valerian root is one of the oldest ingredients for treating insomnia. Today, you can take it as a supplement instead of drinking tea brewed from valerian. Valerian is believed to help improve the quality of sleep, while also shortening the amount of time it takes before falling asleep.

3. 

   Exercise regularly. Intense exercise 3-4 times per week can help you fall asleep as soon as you rest your head on your knees, while also helping to significantly improve your quality of sleep.
   • Try aerobic exercises like jogging, swimming, or cycling to tire your body, and for a myriad of other health benefits.
   • Try exercising as early as possible, as doing about 3 hours before bed can leave you with too much energy to fall asleep.

4. 

   Maintain a sleep schedule. Setting a fixed amount of sleep can help regulate your sleep patterns. Try to wake up and go to bed at the same time each day, at least on weekdays.
   • Over time, this helps your body's natural circadian clock determine that it's time to go to bed, which in turn helps you fall asleep faster.
   • Don't worry if you miss a little more sleep over the weekend because it's actually good for your body, helping your body recover and heal from the stresses of the week.

5. 

   See your doctor. If none of the above recommendations have worked and you are concerned about insomnia or sleep apnea, then it's time to see your doctor or see a therapist. They can assess your sleep habits and come up with the best course of action, be it as simple as keeping a resting diary or more complicated than taking prescription sleep aids. advertisement

Advice

• Go to the bathroom before bed so you don't feel jittery due to the need to use the restroom.
• Keep optimistic. Positive thinking helps calm your mind and makes it easier to fall asleep.
• Don't eat anything right before going to bed. Your body will try to digest food while you sleep, making it harder for you to fall asleep. It is recommended to eat at least 3 hours before bedtime.
• Write everything down on a piece of paper before bed so you don't have to wake up and worry about what to do.
• Try meditating before going to bed. This helps the mind and body relax.
• Wear socks to sleep. Keeping feet warm can help someone who wants to fall asleep quickly.
• Blow your nose before bed. Nasal congestion can cause heavy breathing, severe congestion, and runny nose.
• Place a cup / bottle / glass of water near where you sleep. It's not a good idea to let your mouth / throat dry when you go to bed.
• Wear an eyepatch when you go to bed to cover all light sources.
• Play music to create a sense of peace for the mind to relax.