A safer and more efective cure for sleep problems lies in improving what doctors call sleep hygiene, a combination of natural snooze-inducing practices. Clean up your slumber routine with these tricks:
Stick to a regular schedule.
Setting a routine is a must, You need to sync the time you go to bed with your biological clock. You should go to bed at the same time every day. It’s essential that you stick to sleep hygiene habits. Changing up your snooze schedule confuses your brain’s sleep centre and promotes restless nights.
Keep things cool.
When you nod off, your core body temperature drops by about a degree and a half. Encourage the process by setting your bedroom thermostat to a few degrees lower. If you still feel hot at night, you could be smothering yourself under a comforter that’s too warm, so switch to a lighter one. Another trick: take a hot bath before bed. As your body cools, it transitions more easily into sleep mode once you lie down.
Don’t be afraid of the dark.
Artificial light messes with your internal clock and acts as a stimulant, inhibiting the flow of melatonin. An hour before bed, turn of your iPad or computer, and don’t text or watch TV. And by all means, stop watching the clock! Not only do digital versions give of a melatonin disrupting glow, but watching 20 minutes tick by can lead hours of sleepless anxiety.
Exercise earlier.
Working out soothes insomnia-fuelling stress and eventually lowers your body’s built-in thermostat, a necessary presleep step. Just finish of your cardio at least four hours before bed—any later and your body temp will still be too high, keeping you awake. If you aren’t getting any activity in the day, do exercise in the evening. Keep it light, and finish of two hours before bed time.
Try a sleep ritual:
If a hot bath doesn’t help, try listening to some music. After that, practise conscious breathing. If you still feel wide-eyed think of your best moments in life or of some happy memory. Massage, meditation or simply taking a series of slow, deep breaths before bed may also help soothe you into sleep. If your insomnia sticks around for more than three weeks, seek out a doctor who is trained in sleep medicine.
