Problems clearing your head at night can also stem from your daytime habits. The more overstimulated your brain becomes during the day, the harder it can be to slow down and unwind at night. Then when it comes to getting to sleep at night, your brain is so accustomed to seeking fresh stimulation, it becomes difficult to unwind.
Help yourself by setting aside specific times during the day for checking your phone and social media and, as much as possible, try to focus on one task at a time.
Breathing from your belly rather than your chest can activate the relaxation response and lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels to help you drift off to sleep. To follow along with a guided deep breathing exercise, click here. For a bedtime sleep meditation that uses deep breathing, mindfulness, and body scan techniques to help you wind down and clear your head, click here.
Sometimes even small changes to your environment can make a big difference to your quality of sleep. Keep noise down. Earplugs may also help. Keep your room cool. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold can interfere with quality sleep.
Make sure your bed is comfortable. Your bed covers should leave you enough room to stretch and turn comfortably without becoming tangled. If you often wake up with a sore back or an aching neck, you may need to experiment with different levels of mattress firmness, foam toppers, and pillows that provide more or less support.
Reserve your bed for sleeping and sex. By not working, watching TV, or using your phone, tablet, or computer in bed, your brain will associate the bedroom with just sleep and sex, which makes it easier to wind down at night. Stay out of your head. Hard as it may be, try not to stress over your inability to fall asleep again, because that stress only encourages your body to stay awake. To stay out of your head, focus on the feelings in your body or practice breathing exercises. Make relaxation your goal, not sleep.
If you find it hard to fall back asleep, try a relaxation technique such as visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation, which can be done without even getting out of bed.
Do a quiet, non-stimulating activity. Postpone worrying and brainstorming. If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and postpone worrying about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve.
Authors: Melinda Smith, M. National Library of Medicine. Cleveland Clinic. Adopt Good Sleep Habits — How improving your sleep environment and sticking to a regular schedule can improve the quality of your sleep.
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Can we rely on you? All gifts made before December 31 will be doubled. Cookie Policy. These simple tips will help you sleep better and be more energetic and productive during the day. Tip 2: Control your exposure to light Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone controlled by light exposure that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
The light on your face will help you wake up Spend more time outside during daylight. At night Avoid bright screens within hours of your bedtime. Tip 3: Exercise during the day People who exercise regularly sleep better at night and feel less sleepy during the day. But even light exercise—such as walking for just 10 minutes a day—improves sleep quality. One small study determined that orthopedic pillows may be better for sleep quality than feather or memory foam pillows Additionally, the use of a weighted blanket could reduce body stress and help improve your sleep Lastly, the fabric of the clothes you wear to bed can affect how well you sleep.
Having more comfortable bedding may make it easier for you to fall — or stay — asleep. Shop for bedding online:. Watching TV, playing video games, using a cell phone, and social networking can make it significantly harder for you to fall — and stay — asleep 48 , 49 , This is partly because electronic devices emit blue light , which has been found to suppress melatonin 51 , If you need to use your devices late in the evening, at least consider blocking the blue light with eyeglasses or a screen filter.
Shop for blue light blocking glasses or a blue light screen filter online. Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils. A systematic review of 12 studies revealed that the use of aromatherapy was effective in improving sleep quality Oil blends made with ingredients like lemon and orange were also effective at improving sleep quality 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , Although there are a variety of ways to use essential oils , many sleep studies are centered on inhalation aromatherapy.
An essential oil diffuser could be helpful in infusing your room with relaxing scents that encourage sleep. Shop for essential oils online. Some people have difficulty falling asleep because their thoughts keep running in circles.
Research has shown that this can produce anxiety and stress, which can generate negative emotions and disturb sleep Writing down the positive events that happened during the day — or may happen in the future — can create a state of gratitude and happiness, downgrade stressful events, and promote more relaxation at bedtime.
In fact, a study of 41 college students found that journaling resulted in reduced bedtime worry and stress, increased sleep time, and improved sleep quality Practice this technique by setting aside 15 minutes every night to write about your day. A different study found that writing a to-do list, if only for 5 minutes, was even more effective than journaling at helping young adults fall asleep faster Caffeine is widely used among people to fight fatigue and stimulate alertness.
It can be found in foods and beverages like:. This stimulant can have disastrous effects on your sleep quality and sleep duration 62 , Instead, you could drink a soothing tea like chamomile tea. Other bedtime teas that help sleep include passionflower and magnolia 64 , 65 , There are three main sleeping positions :. However, research has shown that this might not be the best position to sleep in, as it could lead to blocked airways, sleep apnea, and snoring Although individual preferences play an important role in choosing sleep position, the side position seems to be linked to high-quality sleep Reading could be a good activity to help you wind down before bed.
At least for kids, it seems that bedtime reading may promote longer sleep Electronic books emit blue light, which reduces melatonin secretion. Lowered melatonin levels make it harder for you to fall asleep and cause you to feel tired the next day 70 , Instead, you can try paradoxical intention.
This technique involves trying to stay awake instead of forcing yourself to sleep. Research is ultimately mixed, but some studies have showed that people who adopt this technique tend to fall asleep faster Instead of lying in bed worrying and thinking about stressful things, visualize a place that makes you feel happy and calm.
In one insomnia study, participants were able to fall asleep faster after they were instructed to use an imagery distraction This technique helped them occupy their mind with good thoughts instead of engaging with worries and concerns during the pre-sleep time. Picturing and concentrating on an environment that makes you feel peaceful and relaxed can take your mind away from the thoughts that keep you up at night Having trouble falling and staying asleep is not only frustrating, but it can also affect your mental and physical health.
Using the techniques above can help you fall asleep quickly, while sleeping much better and having more energy the next day. Weighted blankets can be beneficial for sleep disorders as well as anxiety and restless leg syndrome. But what size blanket should you buy to maximize….
While antihistamines and other over-the-counter sleep aids contain ingredients that make you drowsy, they may not be the best solution.
If you live with insomnia, you may want to learn how cognitive behavioral therapy CBT can help. Learn how CBT works for insomnia. Chronic insomnia can affect your physical and mental health in ways that extend far beyond waking up groggy. Insomnia treatment can include lifestyle changes, behavioral therapies, or medications. Are you having trouble drifting into a peaceful, nourishing slumber? Disturbed sleep is more than an inconvenience that leaves you dragging the next day: it can affect your emotional and physical health.
It negatively affects your memory, concentration and mood, and it boosts your risk for depression, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Happily, there are easy, natural fixes that can improve your sleep, says Charlene Gamaldo, M. Drink up. No, not alcohol, which can interfere with sleep. Gamaldo recommends warm milk, chamomile tea and tart cherry juice for patients with sleep trouble. She recommends them to patients who want treatment without side effects or drug interactions.
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