Most people need between seven and eight hours’ sleep a night. Sadly, insomnia is something that is experienced by many across the world. If we have one bad night, we’ll probably be okay the next day. When it becomes a cycle, it can be debilitating. Sleep loss can reduce our capacity to cope with stressful circumstances and can inhibit our levels of concentration. It can affect our memory capacity from a medical angle and result in such conditions as diabetes, coronary heart disease, or strokes.
Fortunately, there is hope for anyone battling with insomnia. There are several proven strategies that people can harness. Do you want to get to sleep quicker? Let’s discuss seven ideas right now.
1. Have a Quality Bed
There are so many things in life that people cut corners on to save money. Why would someone buy a cheap bed when they spend one-third of their life there? Cheap mattresses are usually soft and unsupportive. They can result in back pain over time. Even if a cheap one is initially okay, it won’t stay that way for long!
Buy a quality mattress that has the right level of support. Some people like them to feel as hard as a rock, but most people prefer a level of springiness as well. Memory foam has become popular in recent years because it molds itself around a person’s body. It’s worth pointing out that it can get warm as the night progresses, however.
Buy a decent pillow. Once again, there is no point buying a cheap one that may result in neck and shoulder issues. When it comes to buying the right products, there are fortunately many good websites people can access. The sleep specialists at Snoozeez.com say people also want to read articles on such things as getting to sleep, breathing techniques, or weighted blankets. They may also want to stop drooling in their sleep or learn about CPAP masks for side sleepers.
2. Create the Right Sleeping Environment
Many people have been forced to work from home because of the global pandemic. In some cases, people now find themselves working from their bedrooms. This should be avoided if at all possible, as it can be hard to switch off from work at bedtimes because of the memory associations.
The bedroom should feature restful rather than stimulating colors. If the light is coming in through the windows, buy light-blocking blinds. Failing that, wear an eye mask. If there is outside noise (or a snoring partner!), consider using earplugs – but beware, they can push wax deeper inside our ears over time.
3. Take Regular Exercise
We are body, soul, and spirit. It’s not healthy to sit in a chair all day reading books and feeding our brains alone. We need to be physically tired at the end of the day. Our bodies need to have exercise five times a week for thirty minutes. Do something that will raise your heart rate, such as walking briskly or practicing aerobic exercises.
Exercise releases adrenaline into our systems, so don’t do it within three hours before bedtime. The only exercise a person can do the last thing is to have sex. This helps tire the body and can help a person fall asleep instantly.
4. Stick to a Routine
Our body clocks appreciate it when we don’t vary our getting up or going to bedtimes by more than half an hour. On the weekends, people may be tempted to stay up late and get up late. This shouldn’t be too extreme, or it may upset our sleep pattern during the week.
It might be a nice practice to take a hot bath before bed. This can help a person relax their bodies and muscles. Some people find that reading the last thing helps them fall asleep. That’s fine as long as the book doesn’t send the person’s thoughts racing.
5. Avoid These Things
Smoking isn’t just bad for a person’s health. Cigarettes contain nicotine, which is a stimulant. Stimulants fight our ability to relax and sleep. Alcohol may initially help a person nod off, but can disturb a person’s sleep as the night wears on.
Coffee is another stimulant because it contains caffeine. While three cups a day can actually have health benefits, it shouldn’t be drunk in the evenings. Avoid using phones, computers, or televisions in the hour before bedtime. This is because the blue light interferes with our body’s capacity to create sleep hormones.
6. Watch Your Diet
It is never advisable to eat a meal (or even a snack!) two hours before bedtime. If someone eats a large meal late in the evening, it will be hard to get to sleep. This is because the person’s body is still processing the meal. There’s nothing worse than lying down and experiencing heartburn, either. Spicy meals may be too much to cope with in the evening. Such food as turkey, chicken, or milk actually helps peoples’ sleep hormones, however.
7. Learn to Relax
Anyone who has lots of things to do should write them down before going to bed. If this doesn’t happen, the person may be subconsciously juggling the tasks in their head all night, so they don’t forget them by the morning.
Breathing exercises can help people relax. There are a number of routines people can discover on the internet, including the 4,7,8 method. A key area is to breathe from the belly rather than to breathe from the upper chest shallowly.
Mindfulness is a very popular practice that can be performed at specific moments during the day or evening. It is not a specifically religious practice. It focuses on being present in the room, instead of living in the past or worrying about the future. It can also be used to relax people and help them observe their random thoughts rather than reacting to them.
There are many sleep applications people can download on their phones. They may include guided meditations or restful, ambient music. Some people prefer the noise of a fan or the seashore, and these needs can be catered for as well. When someone puts these ideas into practice, they may quickly reap the benefits. Sleep can once more become a pleasant time of rest, relaxation, and recharge.
