Here to help..
We all go through periods where we struggle getting a full night's sleep.
Whether you're tossing and turning in bed and can't fall asleep at all or you're waking up at all hours throughout the night, there's really nothing worse.
Here are seven things you can try that'll help you get a good night's rest.
1. Exercise earlier in the day.
It's recommended that we exercise at least 90 minutes before going to bed with some studies even saying it helps promote deeper sleeps.
Regular exercise is important for our general health and well-being but it's crucial for our sleep quality too.
Research has found that if you're an early riser, it's especially important for you to finish your exercise at least an hour and a half before bed because it will interfere with your sleep quality and length.
A study investigating the
Interrelationship between Sleep and Exercise found that sleep timing can have an impact on a number of different things including blood pressure, body temperature, melatonin cycles and sleep architecture.
2. Soak up that sunshine as soon as you wake up.
If you can, get outside early in the morning because the sunlight is said to help your brain wake up.
A number of sleep physician experts recommend that people get 30 minutes of daylight within a few hours of waking up.
Sunlight helps set your circadian rhythm and helps your brain understand when you should be active and when you should be tired.
Sometimes it can be difficult getting outside as soon as you wake up so if you can't do that, try get out for a quick stroll in the daylight at some point during the day.
3. Cut out the coffee!
This is for sure easier said than done, we get it. However, cutting down on the caffeine will improve your sleep.
If that's not an option for you, which I completely understand, try limiting your intake and only drink caffeinated drinks in the early hours of the day.
Even Diet Coke can stimulate the brain too much and disturb your sleep so be mindful of when and what you're drinking.
It's recommended that you stop drinking caffeine around 6 hours before bedtime but if you're particularly sensitive to caffeine, make it 8-10 hours.
4. Turn off the phone, laptop and TV.
Try introduce a total technology turn-off time.
Be a little bit stricter on yourself and once it comes to a certain time in the evening, make sure the phone's off.
A popular time for this would be around 8/8:30pm.
Blue light emitted from your devices suppresses melatonin, which tells your body it's time to wake up, and so it can be really difficult to sleep.
We're all guilty of trying to fall asleep to something on the TV or grabbing our phone to check messages, but if you want to get a better night's sleep, this is the way to go.
5. Take stress breaks.
It's no surprise that stress can impact our sleep but many of us wouldn't think to take regular breaks in the day to help alleviate it.
Taking short regular breaks during the day can help relieve the feeling of stress and anxiety and in turn, it'll help you fall asleep quicker.
If you feel over-whelmed during work or at any time throughout your day, stop and take some deep breaths.
Try some breathing exercising or journaling during this time because it can have a very positive impact on your sleep.
YouTube and TikTok have fantastic videos showing you how to slow down your breathing so they're definitely worth a watch.
6. Eat with sleep in mind.
It makes sense that eating good nutrient rich food will help improve your sleep but sometimes we forget.
It's a good idea to familiarise yourself with foods that encourage a better night's sleep such as cherries, milk, kiwis, and almonds.
They contain melatonin, magnesium, and tryptophan all of which help make you feel sleepy.
Foods that sabotage your sleep include the obvious, caffeinated things, spicy foods, meat, cheese and citrus fruits.
Unfortunately, chocolate is also on that list.
7. Keep your mind in the present.
It's very easy to lay in bed thinking about the day you've had or thinking about the day ahead but again, it's not good for your sleep.
Try your best to stay in the present. The best way to do this is to focus on something that's there such as the duvet, your PJ's or your breathing.
When you find yourself being drawn to your thoughts, count your breaths and it'll bring you back to the present moment.
If you find that your thoughts disturb your sleep a lot, white noise can be helpful. White noise devices are often used to comfort infants but they can work wonders for adults too.
Focusing on the sound can calm your mind and allow you to dose off quicker.
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