Around 40 million Americans suffer from sleep-related disorders. Insomnia is one of the most rampant sleep problems. Making simple changes in your lifestyle can help get rid of insomnia and reclaim your sleep. The fifteen tips mentioned here will help you get good sleep even if you are an insomniac - let's dive in!
1. Work on your bedroom
Start with making changes to your bed. It would be difficult to fall asleep if your bed is not comfortable. Choose a good quality study bed base and replace your old mattress with a new one. Buy bedroom lights to improve the atmosphere and lighten up your mood. Installing window coverings to control light in the bedroom can also help you get better sleep.
2. Get rid of electronics
Taking your phone to the bed can stop you from falling asleep. Research has shown that the blue rays coming out of screens can disturb your sleep cycle. You should stop using your laptop/smartphone at least one hour before you head to your bed.
Use the blue light filter on your smart devices to get your work done.
3. Don't take naps in daytime
People who don't enjoy sleep tend to take naps during the day. There's nothing wrong with napping on the surface. However, napping throughout the day can stop you from falling asleep at night.
A nap of more than 20 minutes takes you to REM sleep. If you wake up minutes after you enter REM sleep, your sleep cycle will get disturbed, and you will find it hard to sleep at night. Take short naps of less than 20 minutes and avoid getting sleep for hours in the day.
4. Cut your caffeine intake
Taking coffee in the morning can help you stay awake. However, coffee consumption in the evening and especially before you go to bed can disturb your sleep. Caffeine signals your brain to stay awake, which stops you from getting sleep at night.
You should take Chamomile tea instead of coffee at night. This tea can help you feel calm and fall asleep in no time.
5. Avoid heavy meals at night
The habit of eating heavy meals at night can also disturb your sleep. Going to bed with a heavy stomach can make you feel nauseated, which can stop you from falling asleep.
Make sure you avoid any heavy meals at night. You should eat dinner at least three hours before going to bed, so your body can digest the food, and you can fall asleep easily.
6. Exercise regularly
One of the amazing benefits of regular exercise is that it promotes good sleep. Exercise puts your mind and body at ease and helps you enjoy your sleep. Doing some exercise in the evening can help you feel warm and sleepy.
Avoid any heavy workouts before going to bed, as it can trigger your brain to stay awake. Do exercise in the sunshine when you wake up to feel energetic throughout the day.
7. Make a proper schedule
The absence of a daily schedule can disturb your sleep. When you have no fixed time of going to bed and waking up, the circadian rhythms in your body are disturbed, and you find it hard to fall asleep.
Make a proper daily schedule and stick to it to get good sleep at night. Follow your sleep routine on weekends too.
8. Maintain a proper diet
Your diet has a direct impact on your sleeping habits. Eating too many sugary foods can stop you from enjoying your sleep. Consumption of processed foods also disturbs your metabolism, which results in poor sleep.
Review your diet and opt for healthy foods. Take more fluids, eat leafy vegetables, and add fruits to your diet to sleep better at night.
9. Try meditation
Meditation has amazing effects on your sleep. For example, Yoga Nidra is a yoga famous for its relaxing properties that help you fall asleep. Performing this yoga regularly can help you bust stress and enjoy amazing sleep.
The best thing about yoga is that it's easier to add it to your life. You can take online yoga classes if physical classes aren't allowed because of COVID-19 restrictions.
10. Go with aromatherapy
Foul smell in your bedroom can also stop you from falling asleep. You can fix this problem with aromatherapy. Natural oils have an amazing smell that puts your mind at ease, which results in good sleep. Some of the famous oils for aromatherapy are:
Clary sage
Eucalyptus
Geranium
You can use an automatic diffuser in your bedroom to improve the smell in your bedroom.
11. Workout in the morning
Doing some exercise in the morning can help you sleep better at night. Studies have disclosed that people who work out in the morning stay energetic throughout the day and find it easier to fall asleep at night.
Build the habit of waking up in the morning so you can have a stable morning routine and enjoy proper sleep at night.
12. Get rid of drugs
You can only get fulfilling sleep at night by separating drugs from your life. Drugs like alcohol can destroy your sleep. Some people take drugs to fall asleep, but doing so results in drug dependency, disturbing the sleep cycle.
Focus on healthy activities that stop you from taking drugs. Go for therapy if it's getting hard for you to overcome your drug habits.
13. Think about your weekend routine
Staying in your bed for longer hours on weekends can disturb your sleep cycle. You will have to follow the same sleep schedule on weekends to get proper sleep.
Wake up on weekends as you do on your workdays. Work out in the morning on weekends to stay agile throughout the day and sleep at night easily.
14. Maintain proper temperature
Make sure you maintain optimal temperature for good sleep. You will not sleep properly if your bedroom is too hot or cold. You can use an Air Conditioner to regulate the temperature. Open the windows for a few minutes to let in the fresh air.
15. Don't ignore medical help
You might not be getting improved sleep even after following all the tips mentioned above. If it's the case, you should go for expert help immediately. Your doctor can identify problems other than insomnia that might be affecting your sleep cycle.
