Tips to Fall Asleep Faster
Today is World Sleep Day! This day is designated by the World Association of Sleep Medicine to encourage the importance of sleep as an everyday and long term health matter. Good sleep has three components – duration, continuity and depth – but healthy sleep habits start with falling asleep. Today we celebrate sleep with tips to fall asleep faster.
Typical Tips to Fall Asleep Faster
Tip #1: Create a conducive sleep environment by eliminating light and distracting sounds and getting comfortable. This means turning off the TV, which is much too stimulating for healthy sleep habits. If your room tends to get lots of light from the outdoors, try black-out curtains. Or if uncontrollable noise is an issue, use a white noise machine or air purifier to drown out other sounds. Also, make sure your bedding is soft and breathable and wear comfortable clothes while you sleep.
Tip #2: Have a regular sleep routine and schedule. By doing the same things before bed each night and going to bed at approximately the same time every night, you’re getting your body into a steady rhythm of wakefulness and sleepiness. Do your best to keep this routine consistent on week nights and weekends.
Tip #3: Don’t eat or drink things late in the day that may keep you awake. Caffeine, sugar, and spicy foods and beverages can all cause you to have a harder time falling asleep.
Tip #4: Exercise early in the day to relax your body and reduce stress. Regular exercise invigorates the body during the daytime but by nighttime offers much needed fatigue which will help you fall asleep faster. Don’t exercise within 3 to 4 hours of bedtime, however, because that may keep you up.
Unusual Tips to Fall Asleep Faster
Tip #5: Sleep naked or otherwise cool down your body temperature for better sleep. A lower core body temp induces sleep so set your thermostat to 65 degrees around bedtime. Sleeping naked also lowers your body temperature or taking a cold bath has the same effect.
Tip #6: Eat and drink the right things before bedtime. Of course a hot cup of decaffeinated tea can help. But warm milk, cherry juice and almond butter are other great dietary sleep aids.
Tip #7: Relax your body and mind. Body relaxation can be achieved by tensing up your muscles and releasing them slowly one-at-a-time starting with your toes up to your forehead. Mind relaxation can be more challenging but try meditations or visualizations to ease your mind into a more restful state.
Absolutely Bizarre Tips to Fall Asleep Faster
Tip #8: Rock and sing yourself to sleep as if you were a baby. Why not, it works on babies! Sit in a rocking chair or simply rock yourself gently in your bed. Softly sing a lullaby. The movement and soothing tones should make you drowsy in no time.
Tip #9: Breathe out of only one nostril at a time. Hold one nostril closed while you exhale through the other side. Repeat alternating nostrils. This steady, repetitive breathing creates a peaceful rhythm that is more conducive to falling asleep.
Tip #10: Trick your eyes into being drowsy by closing them and rolling them back in your head. This is what happens when you actually fall asleep so make yourself get there faster by actively rolling your eyes backwards.
Tip #11: Perform light acupuncture or massage on yourself. Using pressure points on your face, press down gently to send sleep signals throughout your body. Also try rubbing your belly, legs and arms to relax your body and gently drift off to sleep.
Happy World Sleep Day! Wishing you many healthy zzz’s tonight and always!
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