Better sleep will help you feel better and refreshed and these tips will help you achieve just that.
1. Lower Your Caffeine Intake
As much as we love our cup of coffee, it is one of the most readily available sources of caffeine. Although you might know this already, caffeine not only helps keep you alert but may also be the reason you don't get enough sleep at night. Most products on the market today however have caffeine, this includes your chocolate bars, fizzy drinks, coke, etc. Lowering your intake of caffeine-rich foods and beverages can help you get enough quality sleep at night. According to Dr Michael Breus (in an interview on ABC), avoiding caffeine after 2.pm can help you sleep much better.
2. Sex
According to Dr Lauren Berman (the director of the Berman Center for Women's Sexual Health) having sex helps the body release happy hormones commonly known as endorphins. If you have been struggling to get sleep at night, try having sex just before falling asleep. The endorphins released help the brain relax even better thus enable you to fall asleep without noticing it.
3. Take A Warm Cup of Milk
Although scientific studies may be inconclusive, milk is known to have sleep-enhancing properties. Milk contains tryptophan, a compound known to help with insomnia as well as facilitate mental relaxation. Although tryptophan levels may not be much in milk, the idea of drinking milk has a relaxing effect to it, a reason most people fall asleep quickly after having a warm cup of milk. You can try it too to enjoy the benefits.
4. Make It A Habit to Count Backwards When in Bed
Although you might have seen it in the movies, counting backwards tricks the brain into forgetting any stressing factors at hand, hence enabling one to fall asleep fast. Scientists believe counting backwards is tasking and boring at the same time, which forces the brain to shut down in no time. Counting back could help you fight sleeplessness and sleep better.
5. Imagine A Peaceful Scenery
Mental distraction, no matter how small it is, is enough to drown all your stresses and even induce sleep. A study conducted on a group of patients shows that imagining a beautiful scenery calms the mind making it possible to fall asleep quickly. As long as the condition is calm enough, simply imagining yourself in a beautiful and relaxing beach can help you get good quality sleep and even wake up feeling refreshed the next day. Counting backwards while imagining this when you lie on your Macy’s mattress may come in handy as well.
6. Create A Sleep Schedule
Creating a sleep schedule whereby you only go to bed at the set time, and only wake up when the alarm goes off, is one of the best ways to help with or even prevent insomnia. Creating a schedule trains the body and brain to start preparing for bedtime during these times, and will in most instances make you feel sleepy. Be sure to stick to the sleep schedule to make this possible. According to Mayo Clinic, planning your time well should help you fall asleep even when you seem to struggle with the same. This is because your internal clock gets accustomed to it.
7. Keep Electronics Away from The Bedroom
Most electronic devices emit blue light which seems to affect a person's ability to fall asleep. A study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation shows that 95% of Americans bring electronic devices to their bedrooms. Video games, computers, TVs, cell phones, and any other device emitting blue light shouldn’t be allowed in the bedroom. Researchers believe exposure to blue light a few hours towards bed time, and in the bedroom suppresses the body's ability to produce melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for inducing sleep. Kicking these devices from the bedroom may be the solution to insomnia and sleepless nights.
