Can’t sleep? You’re not alone.
It happens to all of us, some more frequently than others, but nonetheless, we’ve all had sleepless nights. Even when your body is super tired, your brain just won’t shut off. For some reason, you must revisit every awkward conversation you’ve had that week or plan for everything that didn’t get done today or could go wrong tomorrow.
Here are a few small changes to wind down and stay down for the night:
Optimize your sleep environment. Cooler rooms are proven to help you fall asleep faster. The optimal sleep temperature is between 60- and 68-degrees F. Try to make your room dark, quiet and free from any clutter that may nag at you. Make sure your mattress and pillows are comfortable and supportive. Close your door or do your best to keep noise levels at a minimum so you can stay asleep.
Avoid stimulants in the evenings. Although it’s super difficult, try to finish screen time (phone, tablet, computer, TV or whatever the device) at least one hour before bed. Blue light from your device suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes the feelings of sleepiness, confusing your body’s natural sleep cycle by stimulating your mind, creating alertness and increasing your heart rate. Also, avoid consuming caffeine or alcohol at night, both are known to sabotage getting quality sleep.
Master your bedtime routine. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to regulate your sleep-wake cycle. It’s important to be consistent in how you settle yourself down at night- perhaps you drink a hot cup of herbal tea, take a warm bath or shower, read a book, listen to soft music, pray... Whatever routine works for you, stick with it, and you’ll notice a difference in how much easier it is to fall asleep.
Put a stop to runaway thoughts. When your mind won’t stop racing, consider keeping a journal next to your bed, and writing down your runaway thoughts to allow your mind to let go of them for the night, knowing that they have been captured and will be addressed tomorrow. Try it – it really does make a difference!
Ease yourself into sleep. Try deep breathing exercises, such as box breathing, where you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds and repeat. Deep breathing calms your nervous system, reducing stress and anxiety in order to prepare your body for sleep. You might also try progressive muscle relaxation, where you tense and then release different muscles to alleviate physical tension. Another way to ease yourself into sleep is imagining being in your favorite peaceful place and bringing awareness to your senses (what can you see, feel, smell, taste and hear there?).
Sleep is up there with diet and exercise when it comes to staying healthy. Getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night reduces stress, boosts your immunity, prevents inflammation, helps control weight, and is important for memory formation and clear thinking. We often take sleep seriously when it comes to our kids – putting our baby down every afternoon for a nap or reprimanding our teen for staying up too late – but we need to take our own sleep seriously as well. A few small changes can make a big difference in increasing the quality of your time awake. And if all else fails, consider consulting with a doctor or sleep specialist for further advice. I did, and I finally learned what it means to get a good night’s sleep.