I know, nothing is more frustrating than not being able to sleep, turning and tossing. The mind is thinking, racing over everything that has happened over the events of the day. Slight noises keep you awake. What to do then on situations like these? Well, I have some tips on how to sleep well. These tips are also called “Sleep Hygiene.”
Sleep only when you are sleepy. By doing this you reduce the time you are awake in bed.
If you can’t fall asleep within 20 buying a hyperbaric chamber minutes, get up out of bed and do something boring until you feel sleepy. Try sitting quietly in the dark or read the warranty on your washing machine. But don’t expose yourself to bright light while you are up. Bright light gives cues to your brain that it’s time to wake up, so avoid bright lights.
Don’t take naps during the afternoon. By doing this you will be insured of being tired at bedtime. If you can’t make it through the day without a nap, sleep for less than an hour and do it before 3pm.
Get up out of bed and go to bed the same time everyday. Yes, that’s right; do this even on weekends. When your sleep cycle has a regular rhythm and consistent, you will feel and sleep much better.
Refrain from doing exercise at least 4 hours before bedtime. Having regular exercises is recommended to make you sleep well but the time of the workout is important. So do you exercise in the morning or early afternoon because this will not interfere with your sleep.
Lastly, develop sleep rituals. Sleep ritual are giving the body cues so it can start slowing down and sleep. It can be through listening to relaxing music, reading something soothing for 15 minutes or having a cup of caffeine free tea or doing relaxing exercises.
But if these tips don’t work, then maybe it’s time to consider that you may have insomnia. Insomnia is a sleeping disorder that is characterized by a consistent difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep despite having the opportunity. Having difficulty in closing one’s eyes or in resting the mind is a common complain for insomniacs.