Do you ever feel exhausted but once you go to bed, you just toss and turn? Or you do fall asleep but wake up and can’t fall back asleep? Maybe you just don’t have enough time in the day to get everything done to get to sleep when you need to. Do any of these sleep issues sound familiar? If so, read on for some suggestions on getting a better nights sleep.
First, think about what your obstacles are to getting a good nights sleep. There are 3 main roadblocks to getting a good nights sleep.
The first roadblock is trouble falling asleep. You are tired and ready for bed. Once you lay down, your mind starts racing. You can’t relax because you can’t get your mind to shut down from the day. How can you get your mind to relax?
Try some of these methods:
-Shut off devices earlier to relax your mind, especially email and social media. Scrolling through right before bedtime can make you feel stressed.
-Do some meditation or listening to calming music before bed.
-Jot down some things that are on your mind before bed. That way you can table those thoughts until the morning.
The second roadblock is that your body is not relaxed. If that's the case, try some of these tips.
-Take a warm shower or bath before bed.
-Do some yoga or deep breathing.
The 3rd roadblock is waking up in the middle of the night and you can’t fall back to sleep. Here are a couple methods to try.
-Use the 20 minute rule. If you are laying there for 20 minutes, get out of bed. Go somewhere quiet and keep the lights off or dim. You can try and read a book or writing in a journal until you feel sleepy.
-Don’t look at devices. The blue light is energizing and can keep you awake.
If you have a very hectic schedule and can’t get to bed when you need to, try some of these tips to help.
-Try to use some downtime (weekends or times you aren’t working) to make dinners and freeze them, prepare lunches, pay bills, etc. That way it won’t all have to get done at night right before bedtime.
-Start relaxing your mind by listening to calming music when cleaning the kitchen. If you have some phone calls to catch up on, do some light stretching if you can while on the phone.
I hope these tips can help put you on the right path to a better night’s sleep.
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