When it’s almost four in the morning and you went to bed three hours ago knowing you needed to wake up at 8 a.m. to take a test in your most difficult class, falling asleep can seem like the biggest struggle you have ever encountered. Here are some tips on how to fall asleep (and stay asleep) at night:
1. Wake up at the same time every day.
states that waking up at the same time each day can help your body regulate its circadian rhythm. When your body’s clock adjusts to a specific wake up time, it will be easier to fall asleep each day.2. Don’t exercise before bed.
Some experts
say working out at night can increase your adrenaline, heart rate, and body temperature, thus making it difficult to fall asleep.3. Don’t go on electronic devices before bed.
Sending late night emails, watching TV, and surfing the internet before bed may seem appealing, but the light from the screens sends messages to your brain telling it to stay awake. Because of this, it is best to stray from using your electronic devices before you go to sleep.
4. Instead, try a relaxing activity like reading or taking a bath.
Having about 30 minutes of wind down time before bed can make your body relaxed and ready to sleep.
5. Keep it cool.
Keep your thermostat under 75 degrees to promote a good night’s sleep.
6. Try and keep your bedroom quiet and dark.
Leaving your shades drawn and blocking out noise can help prevent your sleep from being interrupted.
7. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed.
Drinking coffee, soda, or alcohol before bed can make your body wake up multiple times at night.
8. Don’t do stressful activities before falling asleep.
Try to avoid doing things that keep your brain awake right before falling asleep, such as reading a difficult book, solving a challenging crossword puzzle, or really thinking too hard about anything.
9. Calm your mind.
If you can’t stop your thoughts from racing before bed, try a breathing exercise or simple meditation.
10. Develop a bedtime routine if you don’t have one already.
Developing a bedtime routine can help train your body into falling asleep faster.
11. Be careful about when you choose to nap.
Try to avoid napping close to your bedtime. When you do nap, try to avoid taking long naps.
12. Change your bed sheets.
It’s always comforting falling into fresh sheets.
13. Don’t eat too close to bedtime.
Give your body time to digest before falling asleep.
14. If you can’t fall asleep after about half an hour, try repeating your bedtime routine.
Don’t just lie there staring at the clock and calculating how many hours of sleep you can possibly get tonight. Instead get up and repeat your routine.
15. If you still can’t fall asleep, get up and do a relaxing activity.
If you stay in bed wide awake, you can create an unhealthy link between where you sleep and how awake you are.
16. Go outside.
Natural sunlight ensures a healthy level of melatonin, which helps us sleep.
17. Dim the lights before bed.
Dim the lights around your home before your bedtime rolls around. Being exposed to electrical lights before bed can keep your mind awake.
18. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
If you are up at night angry at yourself for still being awake, chances are you’ll have a more difficult time falling asleep.
