Do you tumble into bed and drift into dreamland the moment your head hits the pillow? Or are you one of the 30 percent of Americans who have short-term insomnia on any given night? If you fall into the latter camp, no doubt you want relief—and quickly.
One way to stop tossing, turning and counting sheep is to create the ideal physical and mental state for restful slumber. Here’s how to create an intentional and calming before-bed routine that will have you saying hello to Mr. Sandman before you know it.
Create a peaceful ambience
Could you sleep under glaring fluorescents or the full noonday sun? Some people can—but most mere mortals require a darkened atmosphere to sleep. If you don’t like the idea of hanging blackout curtains over your window, why not consider a canopy bed setup? You can enclose yourself in a cozy cave. Even if your bed frame doesn’t come with posts, you can find hanging canopies that will attach to your ceiling.
Do you have roommates who like to party all night or play the television too loudly through thin walls? If so, a white noise machine could become your best friend. With one, you can fall under while listening to ocean waves or rain on a Scottish creek.
Is your bed piled high with laundry and unfinished novels? All that clutter can stress you out by making your visual field handle too many objects at once. It’s like gazing at a never-ending to-do list, and you’ll feel overwhelmed by everything you haven’t finished. Make your bedroom as clean and open-looking as possible, even if you can’t bring yourself to Marie Kondo your entire abode.
Banish distractions
Do you take your laptop, tablet or cellphone with you into the bedroom? If so, you might want to stop this habit. While working from this location might benefit you if you have a disability, you don’t want to leave all those blinking lights in the same room as you all evening.
Why? The blue light emitted by your screen can mess with your circadian rhythms, making it more challenging to fall asleep. This light may interfere with your production of melatonin, a vital sleep hormone that you can see on store shelves, but which performs best when manufactured by your body. Plus, there’s that pesky temptation to roll over and scroll when you find yourself counting sheep, which only makes matters worse.
Instead, keep your bedroom a haven for sleep and sex. Go as far as removing your television and replacing your alarm clock with a standard windup model. That way, blinking red lights won’t give you accusatory stares at 3 a.m. You can always bring the spare TV back in for movie-in-bed night or use specialty stickers to hide the power indicator.
It also helps to dim the lights, and it doesn’t take much to install a dimmer switch. When selecting bulbs, opt for those along the warm side of the spectrum to cut down on the blue light.
Take care of your grooming
Even if you just got in from a late night at the office or with friends, you should take the time to floss, brush and rinse your teeth. Oral bacteria can otherwise eat away at your enamel overnight, leading to cavities. Worse, you might increase your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have found a species of staphylococcus bacteria in the brains of such patients that travelled there from the oral cavity.
If you’re prone to grinding your teeth, relaxing in a hot bath can help you unclench your jaw muscle before you retire for the night. The warmth and steam will also open swollen nasal passages, allowing you to breathe more freely throughout the night.
You can also use aroma to help ease you into dreamland. Why not slather yourself with lavender-scented lotion before you head to bed? A recent study in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience found evidence that the smell of this herb activates certain areas of your brain that are related to relaxation via your olfactory neurons.
Make yourself comfortable
If you have chronic pain, you might sometimes find getting adequate sleep to be challenging. You might toss and turn, trying to find a comfortable position, to no avail. For you, the right mattress and pillows aren’t conveniences—they’re essential tools for managing your condition.
If you have the means, take the time to evaluate various mattress types, finding the one that suits you best. Some folks do better when they sink into softness, while others need a firmer resting place for their neck and back.
Do you sleep on your side? Keeping a pillow between your knees can help keep your pelvis neutral, preventing spinal rotation—and possible pain—during the night. You can find specialty ones for this purpose, but a standard bed model will also do the trick.
Tune out and tune in
Your mental state may influence how well you sleep more than anything else. If you want adequate rest, try putting your mind at ease with a bit of meditation before bed.
If you struggle to clear your mind, it might help to gently move your body to induce a relaxed state. You can practice yin Yoga right in bed, no equipment required. Try a few poses as you focus on your breathing to calm any anxiety.
Then, attempt to clear your mind. As thoughts intrude, note them and then let them go without giving them an emotional charge. It might help to imagine a scientist in your head, jotting them down in a notebook and then turning the page.
If mindfulness meditation isn’t to your liking, don’t despair. There are multiple meditation forms, including guided versions. You can find these recordings for free on YouTube. You might even choose to locate those designed for sleep hypnosis, which will continue to play relaxing music or white noise after you drift into dreamland.
No more insomnia?
If you’re one of the many North Americans who struggle with insomnia, part of the problem could lie in cueing your body that it’s time to relax. Create an intentional and calming before-bed routine by following some or all of the five tips above, and wake up in the morning well-rested for a change.
Avis de non-responsabilité médicale : Cette page est conçue à des fins purement éducatives et informatives et ne peut être perçue comme un avis médical. Les informations ne remplacent pas les conseils médicaux prodigués par les médecins. Veuillez consulter le texte intégral de notre avis de non-responsabilité médicale .
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image 1 : Kevin Harber; image 2 : image: Pixabay
