There are times when you want to sleep early, but you can’t. You’re already in bed, but you can’t bring yourself to sleep. It affects your mood the following day. If you have less than eight hours of sleep each day, it could hurt your health. If you want to change your lifestyle and start sleeping earlier, there are a couple of things you can do.
1. Set a limit
You know what time you have to wake up each day. It’s a constant since you already know what time you have to be at work, and how much time it takes for you to prepare. Once you set the limit, you have to try hard to follow it. You can gradually move your goal post until you arrive at the ideal time.
2. Have a relaxing bath
It also helps to have a relaxing bath before you sleep. It allows you to fall asleep faster. A hot bath would be great if done at least two hours before bedtime. You still have time to lower your temperature, which is ideal if you want to sleep faster. You can purchase a bathtub at JT Spas if you want to elevate your bathing experience. You will look forward to your night time bath and feel better before you go to bed.
3. Avoid eating an hour before you sleep
Another reason why you sleep late is that your stomach is still full. It’s not only difficult to sleep when you’re full, but it’s also unhealthy. You might suffer from stomach issues if done consistently. Instead of sleeping earlier, you end up sleeping late. Eat dinner early and ensure that your stomach is empty close to bedtime. You can have a glass of water in bed, but that’s it. It’s also helpful if you sleep early, so you don’t feel hungry anymore.
4. Don’t drink alcohol
You might say that alcohol helps you sleep faster, but it doesn’t. Even if it does, it could prevent REM sleep. You might even wake up in the middle of sleep once the impact of alcohol starts to wear off. It could also turn into a vice. You start with one glass until you can’t control yourself. You will have a hard time stopping, and you end up not meeting your goals.
5. Don’t allow yourself to give into your TV show addiction
This habit is perhaps one of the biggest reasons why you fail to sleep on time. Once you turn on your television, it might be difficult for you to turn it off. The popularity of on-demand streaming sites makes it even more challenging to finish what you’re watching on time. You have access to the next episodes, and you will keep going even if it’s late. If possible, you should set a specific time for watching these shows. You also need to limit the number of episodes you watch per night. Since you have access to all the episodes, it doesn’t matter when you view them.
6. Don’t use your phone in bed
The problem with using your phone in bed is that you can view as much content as possible. Facebook alone is more than enough to keep you entertained for hours. Add to that the other social media sites available. If you allow yourself to use your phone close to bedtime, you will never sleep on time. You will find an excuse to keep using your smartphone. Worse, you might receive an email from a colleague, and it will tempt you to open the message and start working again.
Another problem is that your phone emits blue light. It tells you that it’s not time to sleep. The light tricks your brain into believing that it’s too early, and you shouldn’t go to bed yet. Therefore, even if you already want to sleep, it’s impossible.
7. Stop worrying
When you have a lot on your mind, it might be more challenging to fall asleep. You feel restless. Even if your body wants to take a break, your mind won’t allow it. You have to learn how to stop worrying. It’s not going to help you. Besides, worrying doesn’t solve anything. You suffer for nothing. Deal with whatever problem you have the next day. You have plenty of time to do it. Once it’s time to sleep, you should forget all your worries and rest.
8. Be consistent
Once you have identified the time that you need to sleep, you should be consistent. Even during the weekends, you have to sleep and wake up at the same time. The problem with some people is that they go back to their terrible schedule during the weekends since there’s nothing to do the following day. When you have to go back to work again, your body will have a hard time adjusting. It’s a terrible cycle. Consistency is the only way to deal with it.
9. Find out what works
After a while, you will know what can make you fall asleep faster. It could be soft music that you can listen to in bed. Warm water before bedtime also helps. Not all bodies respond to these stimuli the same way. Determine which of them works best for you and repeat the same actions.
If you still have a hard time despite all your efforts, you might want to consult a physician. You may have an underlying medical condition that makes it difficult to fall asleep. Your doctor will recommend other strategies that could work. Don’t worry about medication. It’s not the only way to help you fall asleep. If you need to take medicines, they’re probably for the illness detected during your consultation.
Make it a habit to sleep early and stop making excuses. Don’t continue working at home, so you have nothing to think about. If you’re too busy, remind yourself that you can do pending tasks later.
