l Can't Sleep at Night. What to do?
Having trouble sleeping can be stressful, with the consequence of being sleepy the next day. Taking medication can help you fall asleep quickly, but it is not a perfect solution to the problem.
Here are methods that you can use to help you fall asleep easily and naturally. But remember! Different things worked for different people; So take some time to experiment and find out what works for you.
Think about all the factors that can interfere with a good night's sleep, from stress from work, family responsibilities, to unexpected challenges, like illness.
It's no wonder that the quality of human sleep is sometimes difficult to understand. While you may not be able to control the factors that disrupt your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage you to sleep better. Get started with these simple tips.
How to Naturally Sleep Better and Easy
Maintain regular bedtime
Going to bed and getting up at about the same time each day will program your body to sleep more soundly. Pick a time when you are likely to feel tired and sleepy. (mayoclinic.org)
A healthy bedtime ritual
Perform a healthy bedtime ritual. A relaxing bedtime routine that is done away from bright light can help separate your bedtime from activities that can cause excitement, stress, and anxiety, which can make it harder to fall asleep.
Turn off lights
Your circadian rhythm is influenced by cues, such as light, that help your body make judgments at night. Keeping a dark room at bedtime can help you fall asleep.
Evaluate the room for sleeping
Check your room. Design your sleep environment to determine the comfortable conditions you need for sleep. Your bedroom should be comfortable – between 60 and 67 degrees, or whatever you want.
Your bedroom should also be free of noise that can interfere with your sleep.
Finally, the bedroom must be free from any light. Inspect your room for noise or other disturbances. This includes sleep disturbances from partners who snore. Consider using blackout curtains, eye protection, earplugs, a "white noise" machine, a humidifier, a fan, or some other device.
Take your worries away
If you're lying in bed and tending to think about all you have to do tomorrow, set aside some time before bed to make plans for the next day. The goal is to avoid doing any of these things while you're in bed, and trying to sleep.
Choose the bed and sleeping position that is most suitable for you.
A comfortable mattress and pillows are essential for a good night's sleep, whether it's soft or firm is up to you. Your favorite sleeping position needs the right pillow.
If you sleep on your side (as most people do), your pillow should comfortably support your head, neck, ears, and shoulders.
People who sleep on their backs should consider thinner pillows to limit pressure on the neck.
Create a consistent sleeping pattern
Setting a consistent sleep pattern can help you fall asleep naturally.
Going to bed at a different time each night is a habit that many people do.
Irregular sleep patterns can cause sleep disorders and disrupt your body's circadian rhythm.
Circadian rhythm refers to the choice of behavioral, physical, and mental changes, which follow a 24-hour cycle.
The main function of the circadian rhythm is to determine if the body is ready for sleep.
This is strongly influenced by the biological clock that releases hormones to encourage a person to sleep or wake up.
Going to bed at the same time each night helps your body clock predict when to go to sleep.
Sleep on comfortable mattresses and pillows.
Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supports restful sleep. A mattress that you have used for years may have exceeded its life expectancy – about 9 or 10 years for most good quality mattresses.
Having pillows that are comfortable and make the room interesting can invite you to sleep.
Reading
Reading a book can relax you and help prevent anxious thought patterns that can interfere with your sleep. It is best to avoid books that can cause strong emotional responses.
Avoid Caffeine
Caffeine stimulates you to wake up and can interfere with your sleep patterns. Avoid consuming caffeine four hours before bed. In some people, consuming caffeine any time of the day can negatively impact sleep quality.
Exercise
Doing some exercise has a positive impact on the quality of sleep.
Studies of people over 40 years of age and having sleep problems found that a moderate or high intensity exercise program led to improved sleep quality. The study also found that participants took their sleeping pills less often.
It's not currently clear whether exercising at different times of the day has any impact on sleep.
Wind.
Your body needs time to go into sleep mode, so spend the last hour before bed doing relaxing activities such as reading.
For some people, using electronic devices such as laptops can make it difficult to fall asleep, because certain types of light emitted from the device's screen activate the brain. If you have trouble falling asleep, take your electronics off before bed.
If you can't sleep, go to another room, and do something soothing, until you feel tired. It is best to remove work materials, computers and televisions from the sleep environment. Use your bed for sleeping only.
Avoid using your cell phone
Today, there is much debate about whether cell phone use at bedtime affects sleep.
One study in college students found that those who scored high on a scale of phone use problems, such as addictive texting behavior, had lower quality of sleep. However, there was no difference in how much time they slept.
Most of the current research was conducted on students and adolescents, so it's not clear whether these findings extend to other age groups. Studies have also tended to focus on the issue of phone use. People who don't use their cell phones may be less susceptible to sleep disturbances.
Try meditation or mindfulness
Mindfulness and meditation can help reduce anxiety, which often disrupts your sleep.
A study of older adults with sleep difficulties found that mindfulness meditation improved sleep.
Change your eating habit
It is best to give the body time to digest food before bedtime.
What a person eats, especially at night, can affect sleep.
Eating large meals within 1 hour before bedtime can interfere with a person's ability to sleep. Digesting the food can take at least 2 to 3 hours.
Lying down during this period can cause discomfort or feelings of nausea, and slow digestion in some people, although this isn't the case for everyone.
It's best to give the body enough time to digest the food before lying down. For each person, the time it takes is different
Try Aromatherapy
Since ancient times, people have used aromatherapy to induce relaxation and sleep.
Lavender oil is a popular option for helping you sleep.
A study in 31 adults found that consuming lavender oil before bed had a positive effect on sleep quality. The participants also experienced more energy after getting out of bed.
Find a comfortable position
A comfortable sleeping position is essential for sleep. Frequent position changes can be distracting, but finding the right position can make a huge difference in sleep. Most people find side sleeping is the best position for a good night's sleep.
Reading an e-book can affect your sleep.
E-books have been trending for years. E-books have a backlit display, which makes them ideal for reading before bed in a dark room.
However, e-books can negatively affect sleep.
One study gave teenage girls a printed book and an e-book to read before bed. The researchers found that the study participants took longer to fall asleep while using the e-book.
They were also more alert at night and less alert in the morning than when they read a printed book. These results suggest that e-books may negatively impact sleep.
However, the study only involved 12 participants. The researcher also used a research design which meant that the participants read both types of books. It is difficult to determine whether exposure to both reading conditions has biased results.
Use warm water for bathing
Taking a warm bath with a shower can relax you, and help prepare your body for sleep. This can help improve temperature regulation before going to bed.
Take melatonin
Melatonin is known as sleep hormone. The body produces it to induce sleepiness and sleep in accordance with the body clock. You can also take it as a supplement to increase your chances of getting to sleep.
Avoid alcohol
Drinking large amounts of alcohol before bed can negatively affect your sleep. Alcohol is problematic because it can cause feelings of restlessness and nausea, which can delay the onset of sleep.
Listening to music
While this effect varies from person to person, some people benefit from listening to relaxing music before bed.
An individual's reaction to music will depend on their personal preference. At times, the music may be overly stimulating and cause anxiety and sleeplessness.
Try some gentle yoga poses before going to sleep.
According to a survey by The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, more than 85% of those who practice yoga report stress reduction, and 55% report better sleep at night. Seven restorative yoga poses before bed have been shown to increase relaxation and relieve tension.
Summary
If you are still having trouble sleeping after implementing these suggestions, talk to your doctor. They may recommend other lifestyle changes, therapy, or medications that can improve the quality of your sleep.
Healthy sleep habits can make a huge difference in a woman's health. Having healthy sleeping habits means having good sleep hygiene. Try to keep the tips on how to sleep more soundly above consistently.