Can’t Sleep? Try These Insomnia BUSTING Tips
An old Irish proverb always comes to mind when someone mentions having trouble sleeping…
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cure’s in the doctor’s book.”
I have to agree. They’re both powerful medicines. And a poor night’s sleep can sure make those belly laughs hard to come by.
But it’s not just your sense of humor that’s impaired by insomnia. Chronic sleeplessness leaves you feeling worn down and weary. Even worse, it can lead to some serious health consequences.
But you don’t have to continue to suffer silently. Because the truth is, you’re likely making some sleep-destroying mistakes without even knowing it.
Fix them, and you’ll be sleeping like a baby in no time.
If you often struggle to fall asleep or find yourself waking up to watch the clock, you might be tempted to turn to risky sleeping pills. But there’s another completely safe and effective option.
How you get ready to sleep is just as critical as the sleeping itself. For a PERFECT night’s rest, start by preparing your body, mind, and environment.
- Make the bed daily.
As odd as it sounds, sleeping well tonight begins in the MORNING… with making your bed. You see, we’re creatures of habit. It’s in our DNA. So rituals are important to us. And turning down your bed at night sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to sleep.
Making your bed comes with a surprising bonus. Research reveals that folks who make their beds in the morning are typically more productive during the day. This can also lead to less anxiety at night when you’re trying to sleep.
- Establish a sleep ritual.
Your nighttime routine shouldn’t start and stop with turning down your bed. Creating an entire sleep ritual is a great way to signal to your body and brain it’s time to get some zzzs.
I suggest turning off and dimming lights around your home at least an hour before bed. Then write a “To Do” list for the next day to clear your mind. You also might like to read a chapter of a book, listen to some relaxing music, or do some meditation to wind down.
If you’re often anxious at night, consider using some lavender-oil-infused lotion or essential oil in a diffuser. A study found that lavender oil can be just as effective as valium for relieving anxiety but without the side effects.
- Reset your circadian rhythm.
Your circadian rhythm is an internal clock that your body runs on. It governs your waking and sleeping cycles. But it’s easy to knock it out of whack. This can trigger insomnia.
To reset your circadian rhythm… and keep it on track… you’ll need to get plenty of blue light from the sun during the day and avoid blue-light-emitting electronics in the evening.
You see, the blue light from the sun signals to your body that it’s time to be awake. But staring at electronic screens at night, such as smartphones, tablets, or TVs, confuses your brain into thinking it’s daytime.
Without the proper nighttime signals, your body doesn’t know when to start producing your natural sleep hormone, melatonin. So it’s no wonder you can’t get to sleep or stay asleep at night
- Keep it cool
Research shows cool nights lead to better sleep. We’re talking downright chilly here. In fact, one study found the optimal sleeping temp is between 60- and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.
You see, your body temperature rises as you sleep. So if your room is on the warm side, to begin with, it can trigger tossing, turning, and sleeplessness.
So in the winter, turn DOWN the heat. And in the summer, crank up the A/C. Then toss an extra blanket on the bed in case you get TOO chilly, and you’ll be all set to sleep like a baby.
P.S. Still battling insomnia? There’s a supplement you should consider taking. It works in some of the same exact ways as popular sleep drugs like Ambien and Valium. But it comes WITHOUT all the risks. (And NO, it’s NOT melatonin.)
SOURCES:
“A multi-center, double-blind, randomised study of the Lavender oil preparation Silexan in comparison to Lorazepam for generalized anxiety disorder.” Phytomedicine. 2010 Feb;17(2):94-9. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2009.10.006. Epub 2009 Dec 3. PMID: 19962288.
“Effects of Bedroom Environmental Conditions on the Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea,” Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, Volume 14, Issue 04, April 15, 2018, doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7046
