In this busy world, many of us don’t get to stay in bed as much as we’d like. That makes it quite a tragedy when we are able to go to bed, but still can’t fall asleep. Instead, you toss and turn for what feels like hours all while being acutely aware that each minute you spend struggling to fall asleep is time that could be spent resting.
Many deal with this problem, and while it can be hard to pinpoint why it happens, there are several things you can try to help fix the issue.
Here are some tips you can put into practice tonight to help you fall asleep faster.
1 – Declutter your room
You may think this doesn’t affect you, but humans can’t help but be affected by their primordial instincts. A messy room with dirty clothes on the floor and paperwork littered across all surfaces alongside cables and dirty cups all add up to a room that is harder to sleep in. Humans are most vulnerable while sleeping, after all, and all that clutter “bad things” are plenty of areas to hide in.
Back in our caveman days those “bad things” would be spiders, snakes, and scorpions. These days our homes are much safer, but we are still hardwired to prefer not to have clutter around our sleeping spaces. Your room doesn’t have to be as neat as that of a 5-star hotel, but the less clutter in it, the better.
2 – Teach your body to relax
Work hard to make sure your bedroom is a place to relax and sleep above all else. Avoid working from bed or leaving to-do paperwork around the room. These are not only distracting, but the more you train your body to relax while in bed, the easier it’ll be for you to fall asleep every night. Working or browsing inflammatory social media posts from bed will have the opposite effect.
3 – Eliminate distractions
It should come as no surprise that peace and quiet are more conducive to sleep. If you are having trouble getting other people in the house to quiet down, don’t just try to ignore the noise. Get earplugs or a sound box that can play white noise to drown undesirable sounds.
Distractions may seem minor, but the body takes a few minutes to fully drift into sleep. And every time you are distracted during that process, you need to start from scratch.
4 – Follow a sleep routine
Another way to help yourself fall asleep is to start following a relaxing routine every night. What helps you relax differs from person to person, and you can read guides on websites like SuperMedical to get some ideas on what to try.
Whether you prefer a nice tea, a hot bath, a comforting book, or some other relaxing ritual, find something that works for you and start doing it at least one hour before going to bed every night. The more of your stress you melt away before going to bed, the easier it’ll be for you to fall asleep once you’re there.
5 – Get a more comfortable mattress
Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. When was the last time you bought a mattress? If you’ve been having a hard time finding a good position to fall asleep in and you wake up sore in the morning, your issue may simply be that your mattress can no longer offer the support necessary for comfort.
