There are many reasons why people struggle to sleep at night. One cause of poor sleep quality could be a bad bedtime routine. Certain activities and environmental factors can influence how relaxed we are. By making a few of these bedtime routine changes, it’s possible that you may be able to beat insomnia.
Avoid eating or exercising late
It’s advisable that you leave at least two hours between your last meal and bedtime to avoid issues like indigestion or acid reflux, which can make it harder to get sleep. Similarly, you should avoid snacks that are sugary, caffeinated or high in carbs – these could stimulate and energise you before bed. Late night exercise can also stimulate your body, so avoid late night jogs or trips to the gym. It is better to be active in the day and inactive as it gets darker to train your circadian rhythm to associate night with rest.
Take an evening bath
An evening bath can help you to unwind before bed. The heat and buoyancy of the water can help your muscles relax and lower cortisol levels (making you less stressed). A bath can also lower your core temperature, which can help you to produce sleep hormones and feel more sleepy.
Dim the lights
Our circadian rhythm is heavily triggered by light levels. Our brain associated increased light levels with day time and alertness, while lower light levels are associated with night time and sleep. By turning off bright overhead lights and using lamps and candles, you can help your body relax and encourage your body to produce sleep hormones.
Take sleep supplements
Many people with insomnia find that it helps to consume sleep supplements 30 minutes to an hour before bed. Supplements like magnesium found at online stores like Medino pharmacy can help to relax muscles. You can also consume supplements containing melatonin – the sleep hormone – in order to help encourage tiredness. Just be wary that some sleep supplements may have the side effect of making you more tired the next morning (especially if you take too high a dose). Many herbal teas can also serve as sleep supplements and are a good alternative to coffee or hot chocolate.
Use calming scents
Many natural scents like lavender, chamomile and jasmine can have a soothing effect and can improve sleep quality. You can inhale these scents by lighting scented candles in the evening, using an oil diffuser or lighting incense sticks. It’s also possible to add scented products to baths or to spray your pillow with a scented spray. This Sleep Foundation guide delves more into using scents to help you sleep.
Switch screens for books
Screened devices emit blue light which can actually delay our body’s ability to produce sleep hormones in the evening. Watching TV before bed, gaming on a laptop/tablet at night or scrolling through social media on your phone while in bed could be the thing keeping you up at night. Try to avoid screens an hour before you go to bed and instead find non-screen related activities that won’t stimulate you. Reading a physical book can be a great relaxing activity to engage in before bed.
Try bedtime journaling
Can’t get to sleep because you’re worrying about the following day? Got some creative ideas that are keeping you up? Taking a few minutes to jot down all your thoughts in a notebook before bed could help to get to sleep. This activity is known as journaling and is recommended by many therapists for conditions like anxiety. What you write in your notebook is up to you – it could be anything from to-do lists to social media/blogging ideas to simply venting your frustrations in diary form.