10 Natural Ways to Sleep Better
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10 Natural Ways to Sleep Better
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As part of the technology generation, we can already tell you that getting to sleep, despite all the gadget distractions: blinking lights, unread messages, phone calls, alarm setting, App notifications, social media notifications, the things keeping us from sleep are endless.
Not only do we have the technology to blame, but we also have ourselves. Some of us are tempted into thinking that if we miss out on a few hours with our technology turned off, then we miss out on our job promotions, a loved one reaching out, or just, we miss out on life.
On top of all the distractions that our technology poses, we also have the everyday nuisances of reasons that we can’t get to sleep, or just have a poor night’s sleep. This can be anywhere from stress, worrying, excitement, or just plain inability to fall or stay asleep.
Hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of dollars are spent every year from people that desire the one thing they can’t live without, not only in the metaphorical sense but also in the literal sense. Instead of spending loads of money trying to find the solution to your sleeping issues, there are ways that we can naturally try and sleep better.
People have turned to not only medication, resorting again to “drugs,” to achieve that needed sleep, but also therapy, with a wide range of different methods and thousands of dollars lost.
Here are ten natural ways that we can sleep better, deeper, and through the night:
1. Make your bed your sleeping place.
When you are doing non-personal things in your bedroom, such as work, or eating dinner on your bed, there is a possibility that you will disassociate your bed with sleeping. If you forbid work-related tasks on your bed, then you are less likely to think about work-related issues when you are trying to sleep. Doing this also conditions the mind and body to know that when you are lying in bed, then it is time for it to start to sleep.
2. Make your journey back to the womb.
Not literally, no. But make your sleeping room, as pitch black as you can get it. The darker, the better. Any type of light, from the dim street lamp down the street to the small blinking light on your computer while it’s charging, can keep you from getting the deepest sleep you can manage.
3. Make a routine.
Life gets in the way, and we know it’s hard to try and go to sleep and wake up at the same times every evening and morning, but try and to stick to the schedule as much as possible. This way, your body’s internal clock will know when it is supposed to be sleeping and when it should be waking up.
4. Make a list.
If you have something occupying your mind as soon as you lay down, write it down, so you won’t forget about it in the morning. Especially if there’s nothing you can do about it at that present moment, there’s no point in literally “losing sleep” over it. Some people even journal to be calmer before they try and sleep. This might also help clear their head and signal their brains that it’s about that time to go to bed.
5. Avoid caffeine after a certain hour.
Everyone is different, and some might actually report that caffeine doesn’t affect them as much, but if you are reading this, that is probably not the case. If you are looking to get a better night’s sleep, then it might just be your caffeine intake after 2 p.m. If you decrease it as much as possible, then maybe this is the solution you have been looking for to feel well rested in the evening, and not fighting the chemicals in your system.
6. Avoid exercise after a certain hour.
Though some may use this as an excuse to cut exercise completely according to their schedule, we play the cards we’re dealt with. For some, this tip might be inevitable, but for others, rising their gym visit a few hours earlier than when it is now is a no biggie. Exercise releases cortisol in your body, among other things. This hormone makes you feel more awake, which means it is NOT a good sleep inducer when it is so late in your schedule.
7. However, EXERCISE!
Contrary to what you might think number six meant, exercise actually gives us a great night’s sleep…. If it is done early enough. Not only does exercise provide many health benefits in general, the idea to keep you moving will really get your endorphins going during the day. Get you happier and will make you physically tired. Physically tired also means that by the end of the day you will be begging for sleep.
8. Avoid heavy meals before bedtime.
Big meals that will make your stomach work double-time will make sleeping more and more difficult. You can also suffer from complications such as heartburn or indigestion, all of which make it more difficult to sleep. Try to eat as easy as possible before bed.
9. Avoid smoking.
Think about it this way. During the day, if you are a smoker you feel the addiction to nicotine, and that makes you want to smoke. When you are sleeping, you are still feeling that addiction, but since you are asleep, you don’t give in to it. Therefore you are actually going through a very short but nevertheless, very present withdrawal. Smoking also can kick start some of those breathing disorders or sleep disorders.
10. Avoid the kids and pets.
This might seem heartless. But their restlessness might actually be hurting your own sleep cycle. Unless you have a royal king size bed and a mini Chiweenie and don’t feel them at all, then it’s best if you try to get everyone their own bed. Or at least try to make them all sleep in their own beds that you have already bought for them.
Sleep is such an important factor in our lives. When you are having trouble sleeping it just might seem like the end of the world. There is hope, however, for those having trouble sleeping and it doesn’t mean that you have to resort to using medication.
