Many people have complaints that during the night time when they go to bed they are unable to fall asleep. Half of the night is spent in twisting and turning. This is a common problem, especially with women. But don’t worry in this article you will come across some natural ways to fall asleep.
Reasons for Not Being Able to Sleep:
- A messy bedroom.
- Cluttered mind.
- Hormonal changes.
- Acidity problem.
- Too much of light in the bedroom.
- Your bed may have bugs.
Natural Ways to Fall Asleep:
Contents
1. Bedroom Ambience to Fall Asleep:
If you want to fall asleep, then it is very necessary to maintain your bedroom atmosphere. You will never get a sound sleep in a messy bedroom. It should be clean and tidy.
Methods to Make a Perfect Bedroom Ambience:
Follow the steps given below:
Ensure that Your Bed is Comfortable: Most of the time when you are unable to sleep it is because of your mattress or the bed sheet on the mattress. A good mattress has fewer springs and has the ability to alleviate discomfort. It supports your body and makes you feel comfortable. Cotton bed sheets can be a good choice as air can move freely from these sheets making you feel comfortable. Hence a soft bed sheet and a mattress can help you to get a priceless sleep.
No Electronics in the Bedroom: A bedroom should be a place to sleep and not a place to play games on your tablet or laptop. Keep your bedroom electronic free so that you can sleep peacefully. This will set a connection in your mind that when you have to sleep you have to go to your bedroom. You can make another room where you can use your electronic items.
Invite Darkness in the Bedroom: Darkness will work like an indicator for your brain. It will remind your brain that it is time to rest. A little light also stimulates your brain and interferes with your sleep. You can buy black curtains or a sleep mask to invite darkness in your room.
Fill Your Room with Tranquility: Imagine you are sleeping and suddenly you hear a loud noise. For sure it will disturb your sleep and there may be chances that you are unable to sleep again. The best way is to keep room noise free. If the other person in your room wants to watch television or listen to music, then request them to keep the volume low. You can also use ear plugs to avoid the noise. You can download some calm voices in your phone. For example sound of waves or rainfall.
Keep an Ideal Temperature: The room temperature should neither be too warm nor be too cold. Keep the temperature normal for an ideal sleep.
Soothing Colors: Colors can stimulate your mind and make it calm. Choose colors like green, blue and purple as these colors help to reduce the blood pressure and heart rate thus making you fall asleep.
2. Bedtime Behaviors for Sleeping:
When we lie down on a bed our mind becomes active and we keep on thinking about different kinds of stuff. This can make us awake for hours. A bedtime routine will make your mind realize that it is time to sleep now.
Ideas of Bedtime Routine:
- Keep all your electronics away. Before sleeping do not check your emails or messages. This can stimulate your brain and the light from your phone may interfere with your body clock. You can also become so much addicted to your phone that your sleep disappears.
- Jot down your worries and reminders on a piece of paper. Many people while laying down think about their problems or their office work which keeps them awake. This is one of the simplest tricks to fall asleep.
- Reading a book can help you to fall asleep. It will keep your mind calm and you can sleep easily. You can read a book with your favorite drink and then when you start feeling sleeping lay on your bed and continue reading till you fall asleep.
- Try some meditation or yoga before going to bed. You can try the breath in and breath out exercise to keep your mind and body calm.
- Don’t sleep in tight clothes. You can wear a comfortable pajama and a loose T-shirt.
3. Don’t Take Caffeine:
According to a report, drinking coffee can disrupt your sleep hours. It blocks the adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine signals the brain that the body is tired and needs rest. This is the reason to avoid caffeine.
4. Avoid Sleeping in Afternoon:
If you sleep in the afternoon for 2 to 3 hours, then it is difficult for you to fall asleep at night. You should keep yourself busy during the daytime so that you don’t feel sleepy. You can take a 20-minute power nap to feel energized.
5. Easy to do Exercise to Fall Asleep:
Follow the steps given below:
Steps:
- Place the tip of your tongue on the tissues that are right above the upper front teeth.
- Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
- Close your mouth and inhale through the nose.
- Count till seven before exhaling.
- Repeat the process 5 to 6 times before sleeping.
6. Food Matters a Lot:
A satisfied tummy will help you to fall asleep. You should eat a bedtime snack to keep your belly full. Now this does not mean that you eat fried and heavy foods. You can have a bowl of berries, apple slices or sweet potato.
Foods that are Sleep Superstars:
- Milk
- Whole grains
- Cherries
- Magnesium rich foods such as dark leafy vegetables.
- Tryptophan
Foods that are Sleep Stealers:
- Pizza
- Alcohol
- Sugary cereal
- Spicy foods
- Burger
- Orange juice
7. Aromatherapy to Fall Asleep:
Aromatherapy creates a mood of relaxation. It calms you down so that you can fall asleep. Here are some aromatherapy ideas which you can try to get a peaceful sleep.
- Infuse your pillow with lavender oil.
- Add a few drops of lavender oil or chamomile to your bathtub.
- Massage your feet and legs with lavender oil.
- Drink chamomile tea. It will relax you.
8. Sleep Paradox:
You can trick your brain to fall asleep with the sleep paradox. Try to stay awake. Open your eyes wide and repeat to yourself that ‘I will not sleep’. The brain will interpret that you are giving it a command to sleep. Slowly your eye muscles will get tired and you will sleep.
9. Acupressure to Fall Asleep:
This Chinese therapy can be helpful for you to sleep. Here is a list of points where you need to press to fall asleep.
- Use your thumb to press the point between the eyebrows and at the top of the nose.
- Sit on the edge of your bed and place your right leg across your left knee. You will notice that there is a slight indent between your big toe and the second toe. Press that indent.
- Press the white mansion. It is located at the back of your head below the skull. It will give you relief from stress and will help you to sleep.
- Press the point which is located inside of the wrist in parallel with the little finger. It will give you relief from insomnia.
10. Yoga for Sleep:
Now you don’t have to count sheep as some easy yoga poses before bedtime can help you to fall asleep. It will relax your body and mind.
A Perfect Stretch:
Follow the steps given below:
Steps:
- Lay down comfortably on your bed.
- Fold your knees so that the soles of both the knees are able to touch each other.
- Your knees will form a diamond shape.
- Rest your arms.
- Stretch your body at least for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Pose Like a Child:
Follow the steps given below:
Steps:
- Sit on your heels.
- Bend forward so that your chest feels close to the knees.
- Stretch your hand in front of you.
- Breathe for a few minutes in this pose.
Upside-Down:
Follow the steps given below:
Steps:
- Lie on your bed and stretch your legs on the wall.
- Stretch yourself.
- You can keep your arms relaxed. Breathe gently.