Be sure to turn off any alarms that usually wake you, whether on your phone or a clock on your nightstand. While you’re at it, turn any digital, lit clocks away from your face so that you won’t wake and stare at the clock, which will distract you from sleeping longer. In fact, studies have shown that blue light emitted from electronics like clocks can interfere with your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that signals your brain to sleep. [1] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source Make sure you shut and lock your doors you do not want any disturbance while you’re snoozing. If needed, place a “Do not disturb” sign on your bedroom or front door.
If you find yourself unable to sleep in on a regular basis, it might be worth it to invest in some blackout curtains. These are made of an extra-thick material that keeps your room pleasantly dark even when the sun comes up. [4] X Expert Source Alex Dimitriu, MDSleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional Expert Interview. 16 October 2019. If you can’t cancel out the light in your room, try wearing a soft eye cover or sleep mask. It might look funny, but a good eye cover will block light and help you sleep longer.
Eat something that combines carbohydrates and protein to help make yourself sleepy. For example, you could have a piece of cheese with a few crackers, or a banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter. [5] X Research source Try a few cherries or tart cherry juice about thirty minutes before bedtime. Cherries have been shown to help increase melatonin, the hormone that helps you get a restful night’s sleep. Try a glass of warm milk. Warm milk has long been touted as a sleep aid. Milk contains tryptophan, which increases serotonin levels and helps you sleep better. [6] X Research source Avoid anything with caffeine or other energy supplements. This might seem obvious, but a cup of joe in the afternoon can affect your sleep even many hours later. In one study, participants who consumed coffee six hours before bed lost an average of an hour of sleep![7] X Research source To be on the safe side, avoid coffee, tea, soda, or other caffeinated foods and drinks in the afternoon and evening. Avoid anything with a high fat content or a lot of salt (like fried foods or most fast food). These foods can cause heartburn and interfere with rest. You should also avoid acidic foods, like citrus or tomatoes, for the same reason. Avoid alcohol as well. Although alcohol may relax you and make you feel sleepy, it can also disrupt your sleep by causing you to wake up in the middle of the night. If you share a bed with someone, then alcohol can also be a nuisance for your partner by making your snoring worse. [8] X Research source
Use a fan. The noise of a fan can be very relaxing. This is called “white noise” and it can help you to sleep better. [9] X Research source Some people enjoy the feeling of a cool breeze on the face while sleeping; others don’t. You can turn your fan towards you or away from you depending on what you prefer. Or you can try a white noise machine or Youtube video that simulates the sound of a fan or another soothing sound, such as the sound of rain falling or waves crashing on a beach. If you live in a noisy environment, consider using ear plugs to eliminate sounds that might disturb you.
While this technique is probably ok occasionally, avoid staying up late on a regular basis. Doing so might be bad for your health; some studies have linked night owl behavior with higher blood sugar, diabetes, and excess body fat. [10] X Research source
Turn off the television and all electronic devices. Using electronics near your bedtime actually affects your body’s production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. The light emitted from electronic devices signals for your brain to stay awake and alert, which makes it harder to wind down at bedtime. You should turn off electronics at least two hours before bedtime. [11] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source Take a warm bath or shower about an hour before you plan to hit the sack. Your body will become sleepy as you cool off from the warm shower and your body temperature drops. [12] X Research source Be sure to use the bathroom right before turning in, so that you don’t have to wake early to relieve yourself.
Try deep breathing techniques to help you relax. As you breathe deeply, your body gets more oxygen which can slow the heart rate and help you to relax. Take a slow, deep breath through your nose and let the air expand your belly, not your chest. Hold the breath for a second, then slowly let it out through your nose. Keep a worry journal near your bed, and if a worrying thought or another item for your to-do list pops into your head, write it down and forget it until the next day. [14] X Research source
Try deep breathing techniques to help you relax. As you breathe deeply, your body gets more oxygen which can slow the heart rate and help you to relax. Take a slow, deep breath through your nose and let the air expand your belly, not your chest. Hold the breath for a second, then slowly let it out through your nose. Keep a worry journal near your bed, and if a worrying thought or another item for your to-do list pops into your head, write it down and forget it until the next day. [14] X Research source
As you feel your body moving from a state of sleep to gradual wakefulness, keep your body in a comfortable sleeping position and keep your eyes closed. Calmly think about falling back asleep. Think about how comfortable the bed feels around you, how relaxed your mind is, and try to gently guide your mind back to rest. If you were dreaming, you can help your mind move back into a sleep state by re-entering the dream world. Think about where you left off in the dream, and use your imagination to think about what might happen next in the dream.
Your mantra can be as simple as “Rest. Rest. Rest. " or “I welcome sleep. " A soft lullaby, relaxing prayer, or self affirmation can be a nice way to lull yourself off to sleep. It helps if it is something you have also made a habit of reciting at bedtime, so that it serves as a cue to your mind and body that it is bedtime
Get out of bed and pull your blankets back up to the pillow. If you use the restroom quickly, this will keep your side of the bed warm with your body heat while you’re away. Otherwise, you’ll return to cold sheets that can make it hard to get cozy again. Don’t turn on the lights, open the blinds, or check your phone. If you wear glasses but can navigate safely to the bathroom without them, don’t put them on. Each of these things will rouse your mind and can cause you to wake more fully.
If you start to feel drowsy, go back to bed, turn down the covers, and curl up in a ball or your favorite sleeping position. This way your body continues to associate the bed with sleep and the rest of the house with wakefulness. By making the bed and turning down the covers when you go back to bed, you are sending your brain the signal that you are starting over with your sleep. This can help you fall back to sleep easily. [18] X Research source
If you do not regularly exercise, ease into a regular routine of about 30 minutes of moderate activity a day. This can be as simple as a walk around your neighborhood. In addition to sleeping better, there are so many benefits to regular exercise, including better immunity, emotional health, and self-confidence. [19] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Instead of sleeping in on weekends, try going to bed thirty minutes to an hour earlier than your typical bedtime during the week. Then, on weekends, go to bed and rise at the same time as you do during the week. This will add in the needed extra sleep without compromising your sleep schedule. Most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night to feel rested and productive;[21] X Research source children and teenagers need significantly more (anywhere from 9 to 11 hours). [22] X Research source The exact amount varies depending on your body’s needs and how active you are throughout the day.
Open up the blinds, take heavy draperies off the windows, and turn on your lamps or other lights in your home during the day. If you can’t get a lot of lights in your indoor environment, be sure to spend a lot of time outdoors in natural light.
