Do you struggle with falling or staying asleep regularly? If so, you’re not alone. Research by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine shows that you are one of the 25-30 million people in the United States who deal with short- or long-term insomnia.
It’s more than an annoyance — sleep deprivation can lead to serious health consequences. Over time, lack of sleep impacts relationships, work, and physical health.
Sleep struggles can be caused by various factors, such as genetics, lifestyle, irregular schedules, or stress. Solving your insomnia often means getting to the root of it to determine what’s causing your restless slumber. However, if you’re not getting your minimum of seven hours of sleep, your bedtime routine may play a part. Here, we’ll share four easy tips to help you create a relaxing environment that encourages your brain and body to rest and — ultimately — fall asleep.
1. Create a Consistent Sleep Routine
If you’re always waking up early for work and school, it’s tempting to let yourself sleep in on your days off. But sticking to a consistent sleep and wake routine will help you feel better in the long run than giving yourself an extra few hours to “catch up.”
Assign yourself a bedtime and follow it as often as possible. Even if you stay awake longer than you planned to, get up at the same time in the morning. This routine helps rewire your circadian rhythm and teaches your brain when you want it to be alert versus when it’s time to stop thinking and start resting.
2. Adjust Your Lifestyle Habits
Much of your sleep confusion could stem from your lifestyle. Certain things trigger the brain to be more active, and even if you do these hours before bedtime, the stimulation is still in effect.
Are any of these factors part of your afternoon through the evening? If so, try cutting them out or adjusting the timing to see if it helps your bedtime routine:
- Caffeine after lunchtime. As a stimulant, caffeine can help you get through the afternoon slump, but the effects peak about 30 minutes after you ingest the ingredient. The downside of this is that you’ve lost your energy, but the caffeine can continue to keep you awake for up to seven hours after consumption.
- Napping. You’re tired. You didn’t sleep. A cat nap can help you make it through the day — but it can also perpetuate the cycle and keep you from sleeping tonight, too. Try to avoid naps so you’re nice and sleepy at bedtime.
- Using alcohol or nicotine. Alcohol is commonly mistaken as a great tool to help you sleep. Although you may fall asleep, when the alcohol is metabolized, it tends to wake you up. Nicotine is a stimulant that, like caffeine, stays in your system and keeps you awake.
Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol also trigger bruxism behaviors. This condition is characterized by jaw clenching and teeth grinding and can also contribute to insomnia. If you think you may be a bruxer, your first line of defense against this damaging condition is a night guard, like those offered here by JS Dental Lab.
3. Invest in Your Room
Aside from your place of work, you’ll spend much of your life in your bedroom. The goal is to sleep, so you won’t really “know” you’re there, but to sleep well means having a high-quality, peaceful environment.
Start by determining the best room temperature for your sleep preferences. Keep in mind that you may be chilly when you fall asleep, but your body will go through cycles where it warms up through the night, so you want to start with a lower temperature and more blankets if necessary.
Invest in a white noise machine or listen to a sleep app before bedtime to block out external noise. An ongoing white noise machine or long-playing ambient sounds ensure you don’t hear the traffic that rushes by after your sleep app shuts off.
Scent matters, too. To help you relax, take a bath before bedtime using lavender fragrances or aromatherapy essential oils in the bedroom.
Finally, take a good look and feel at your mattress, pillows, sheets, and blankets. If any of them are uncomfortable, scratchy, lumpy, etc., or if it’s been a few years since you’ve replaced them, it may be time to invest in a new mattress or accessories.
4. Take 10 Minutes to Decompress From Stress
You’ve been going nonstop all day, so your brain has consistently released cortisol, adrenaline, and other stress hormones. It’s time to take ten minutes to decompress and relax your brain.
What do you enjoy doing to destress besides scrolling on your phone? Put your phone and TV away, and create a routine that lets you naturally soothe your mind. This solution could be anything from journaling or coloring to meditating or doing yoga.
You may think that watching TV or falling asleep while you play on your phone is helpful, but these blue light emitters make it challenging to stay asleep. If you use your screen for two hours or more at night, you’re likely going to struggle with restful slumber. Choose another, more calming method to soothe your mind at night.
Conclusion
Sleep deprivation is a serious problem that impacts tens of millions of Americans. You may be a functioning insomniac, but imagine what you could accomplish if you were operating at your peak potential. Try these four tips to create a relaxing bedtime routine, and if you’re still not sleeping well, talk to your doctor to find a solution to your insomnia.
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