Have you been struggling with your sleep patterns lately? Getting enough sleep every night is critical for your health, quality of life and general well being, but many individuals struggle with falling asleep quickly enough, staying asleep and getting high-quality sleep. If you need better sleep to improve your stamina at work, boost your outlook on life and increase your energy levels but you simply take too long to fall asleep at night, there are a few tricks you can use to fall asleep faster. Take a look at these five easy ways you could get to sleep quicker tonight.
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Try Taking Some Melatonin Before Bed
For recurring sleep issues, you may want to ask your doctor whether you have a hormonal imbalance. If your body is not producing enough melatonin, for example, you might not be getting the physical signal that it’s time to sleep. If this appears to be the case, ask your doctor about taking melatonin tablets before bed. This simple, over-the-counter solution could help solve your occasional restlessness and get you into a better sleep schedule. Be sure to take your pill at least a half hour before your planned bedtime to give it enough time to kick in!
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Create a Soothing Ritual That Reminds You It’s Bedtime
If you’re used to shutting off the work laptop, turning out the lights and immediately attempting to sleep, a more gradual approach could change how quickly you’re able to fall asleep. Your brain may have a hard time making a sudden transition from activity to inactivity, so it may be helpful to institute a soothing ritual that reminds you it’s bedtime every night. This ritual is the perfect opportunity to incorporate little activities that you love! For example, you might want to:
- Play some relaxing music
- Turn down the lights and take sleeping pills
- Switch into comfy pajamas
- Drink some tea or hot milk with honey
- Use a massage chair
- Read a good book
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Unwind With Mindfulness and Meditation
One of the best ways to prepare for bedtime is to get in the relaxation mindset well before you actually turn out the lights. If you can set aside an hour or two before bedtime for mindfulness and meditation, you may find that your body has already begun to slow down and prepare for sleep. Some restful ideas that can help you physically unwind include:
- Quiet journaling and reflection
- Yoga or Pilates
- Meditation or prayer
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Lower Your Bedroom Temperature on Schedule
Do you constantly wake up sweating during the night? If so, it’s possible that the temperature in your bedroom is to blame for your sleep woes. Studies have shown that in general, cooler room temperatures are conducive to better sleep and may help provide a deeper, more restful sleep than warmer rooms. If you tend to get cold easily, simply bundle up a bit more! The cooler air in your room paired with a comfortable, warm blanket could be the ideal combination to help you nod off to sleep efficiently.
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Avoid Common Sleep Disruptors Before Bed
What you do right before bedtime can make a major difference in how quickly you’re able to get to sleep. Unfortunately, it’s common to engage with multiple sleep disruptors, such as cell phones, TVs and more, without even realizing that those items could be preventing you from falling asleep and getting quality rest. If you suspect that this has been a problem for you, be sure to add the following to your no-go list and avoid them at least an hour before your usual bedtime.
- Cell phones
- Computer screens
- Television screens
- Excessively long afternoon naps
- Bright lights immediately before bed
- Bright alarm clocks
- Large meals immediately before bed
Making sure you squeeze in eight high-quality hours of sleep every night is about so much more than just your energy levels. In fact, good sleep can help improve your life in numerous ways, from helping you feel alert at work to giving your mood a little boost and more. If you’re struggling to fall asleep quickly enough at night, however, you may not be able to reap those benefits. Fortunately, you can get to sleep faster by using these easy tricks. Try them out at bedtime to help yourself nod off to dreamland quicker!