It seems these days that everyone is having a hard time either falling asleep, staying sleep, or getting good sleep.
If you are among this group people that find yourself a bit sleep deprived, don’t fret, there are things you can do short of taking dangerous, addictive sleep medications.
Time to examine your day. What are you doing right? What are you not doing right?
- Drink less coffee. Do you drink coffee? How much coffee do you drink? A cup? A gallon? What time of day do you drink said coffee, first thing in the morning only, or all throughout your work day? Limit yourself to one or two cups of coffee, in the morning ONLY. Have that last cup before 1pm. If you find yourself super tired at 2 or 3pm, and having a hard time getting through your day, that’s a sign that you need rest…..not more stimulants. Have a piece of fruit (natural energy) and try to push through your day. It is likely that by the time you get home and relax, you will be able to fall asleep naturally. Let yourself rest.
- Turn off your TV and put down your cell phone at least an hour before bedtime. Studies have shown that the yellow and blue light emitted from TV and cell phones create an overactive brain response that makes us think that we are not tired. If silence is not possible for you, turn the lights low and listen to relaxing music. Let your body adjust to the idea that it is relaxation time. With less visual stimulation you may find it easier to fall asleep when the time comes.
- Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday. Creating a sleep and wake schedule for your body not only helps you get the rest you need, but also helps you eventually start to get sleepy around that regular sleep time and start to wake up automatically without the use of an alarm. It also aids in whole body health.
- Get some exercise during your day. Physical activity can tire you out, making it a little easier to get to sleep. Exercises that have an element of stretch, like Pilates can help ease physical tension and create relaxation. Stretching before bed time targets key areas that hold tension, such as the neck, shoulders, chest, legs and back. Stretching and releasing this tension will surely set you up for a good relaxing sleep.
- Read a book (something light). Nothingthat is going to stress you out, or upset you, or make you think too hard, maybe a magazine, or a how to book. But do not read from your phone or iPad, remember those blue and yellow lights won’t let your brain wind down. If you can’t get your hands on a physical book, I believe there are reading devices that don’t emit that bright light and simulate print on paper. I personally have been trying to get through a how to book on website coding for the past 3 months. Within 2 pages of reading, I’m literally fighting to keep my eyes open!
Good luck and happy sleeping! Feel free to add any other advice you might have, or let me know if any of these methods have worked for you!
Aloha
-Jessica