8 Key ways to deal with insomnia
Have you ever been exhausted from a hard day of work and all you can think of is getting in bed and falling into a deep rest?
But then wake up in the middle of the night and find it hard to go back to sleep?
You toss and turn, count sheep and drink warm milk but the sleep won’t come.
You watch the clock tick away hoping you could pause the time so you won’t miss out on much-needed sleep.
When morning comes, you wake up with puffy eyes and feel sluggish and drained. And you wonder how on earth you’ll get through an entire day at work when you’ve barely rested.
Insomnia is dreadful because it robs you of sleep and then leaves you with zero energy to get through the day. And in more severe cases, it could lead to serious health problems.
Here are eight ways to boost your sleep.
Remove your clock
There’s nothing more agonising than waking up, looking at the clock and realising that it’s only 2am. You groan, close your eyes for a few minutes and pray that you’ll be able to drift off to sleep. But when you check the clock again, only 30 minutes has gone by and you start to feel anxious, wondering if you’ll be able to rest that night. This is why you should avoid looking at the time when you’re trying to fall asleep. The more you realise time is flying by, the more stressed out you’ll be.
Cooler room
Sleeping in a cooler room will make you sleep faster. If you prefer your room to feel like a sauna, this could be preventing you from falling asleep. So if you want a quick cure for insomnia, turn on your air conditioner or open some of your windows.
Many people run to the pharmacy to get melatonin supplements to help them sleep. If you sleep in a cooler room you won’t need to because the cold will help your body naturally produce the hormone. Melatonin is a hormone in the body which helps you sleep. Getting rest is very important for our bodies and sacrificing a little heat might just give you the ZZZs you need.
Exercise
After work, you can go to the gym or jog around your block. Working out comes with many health benefits and one of them is improved sleep. Being active will help with falling asleep quickly during the night.You don’t have to have an intense workout, you can do a couple of stretches before you get to bed and it could help you have the rest you crave.
Coffee
Most people enjoy coffee and it helps them get through the day. But being highly caffeinated could cause you to stay awake all night. You don’t have to completely stop drinking coffee but you should cut back if you’re drinking heavily. And you also shouldn’t drink coffee six hours before going to bed because it’ll disrupt your sleep.
No phone zone
You may have a routine where you send a few texts and then scroll through Instagram. But finding out what Rihanna had for breakfast might be preventing you from sleeping. This is because our cell phones have a blue light that could be disrupting our sleep and tamper with the release of melatonin in our bodies. If you really do need your phone, turn the brightness down.
Bookworm
If you’re struggling to sleep, why don’t you grab a book and catch up on your reading? Not only will reading a book be the perfect escape from your work deadlines which could be keeping you up the entire night. But it also helps you relax and fall asleep. Make sure it’s a light and easy read though, you don’t want to read something heavy, leaving you more stressed out.
Let there be darkness
Make sure your room is completely dark. Light is a contributing factor to a restless night. And you should ensure you switch off the lights in your room. If you share a room with someone, it could get tricky because they may need to study or prepare for a work presentation and need the light. You should consider buying a sleep mask for that occasion.
Comfort
You should ensure your bedding set is breathable and comfortable and your pillows are soft. A silk duvet cover is perfect because it’s light enough to prevent you from sweating in summer but will still keep you warm in winter.
If you struggle from sleep deprivation you might want to try a few of these tips out. Everyone needs quality sleep because it makes us productive at work and boosts our happiness.