Women in comparison to men have more difficulty sleeping. It may be because of the kids, hormones, partners snoring, stress, but the fact remains that the lack of sleep makes everyone tired. What do you do then if you are finding it difficult to fall asleep? Getting out of bed is one way to solve this issue and put insomnia to bed. Also, visiting a sleep doctor is helpful as they can point out any problem other than the obvious ones. Below are tips that will help you stop turning and tossing all night long and sleep better.
1. Get out of bed
If you are struggling to fall asleep, do not stay in bed tossing and turning. As you lay in bed for 30 minutes, get out of bed. In this way, you ensure you do not associate feeling restless and anxious with the bed itself, as it can lead to insomnia. Go to a different room and do a relaxing activity like knitting, drawing, listening to music, and others. Avoid anything that can excite you, such as watching TV. If you feel you are struggling due to an uncomfortable bed. Consider buying new sheets, covers, and the best mattress for adjustable bed.
2. Do a mind dump
Sometimes your turning and tossing are because you are anxious. In this case, dump all those concerns and worries on a piece of paper. Some sleep experts do not advise you to journal at night as it causes you to start analyzing what you write down. List what is in your mind, and it will help you feel calm. After, leave the list and do something relaxing. The following day address your concerns and solve the issues one by one. Although it may take time but having them on paper is better than in your head.
3. Have a regular wake and sleep time
If you feel sleepy at around nine, go to bed, and when you feel well-rested, you wake up. Try to have and follow a consistent wake-up time, including weekends. A consistent sleep routine trains your mind and body to get up early and sleep in a routine every day. If you sleep for three or more extra hours, it throws your whole sleep schedule off. But when you follow the sleep routine, your body is under pressure to fall asleep at a specific time every night.
4. Avoid poor sleep habits
When you are not sleeping well every night, you adopt poor sleep habits. Poor sleep habits include sleeping in over the weekends or when they have to during the week. However, poor sleep habits, with time, make sleep worse and lead to insomnia. Therefore, sleeping excessively on the weekend or taking long naps during the day takes pressure away from the body to sleep at night. Most people think their struggle with tossing and turning on Sunday night is the dread of going to work the next day, but it is because they slept in and disrupted their sleep routine.
5. Avoid bright lights before bedtime
As you prepare to sleep, dimming lights is one way to prep your mind for sleep. Also, avoid the lights of your phone, tablet, TV, computer for at least an hour before you go to sleep. If you use a lighted bedside clock, cover it to dim the light or turn it away from you. Lights slow the release of melatonin, and whatever you are reading on your smartphone online causes mental stimulation. As a result, even with the lights off, it still, causes you to toss and turn.
6. Get some sunlight exposure
Go outside and enjoy some sunlight for some few minutes. Not only does sunlight give you vitamin D, but it helps to lower the release of melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleep. Thus, you feel more alert during the day. At night as you turn off your lights, your body releases melatonin to help you feel sleepy. Where you do not get adequate sunlight, use light therapy. Use it when you wake up and at work, if possible. Later, when you go into night mode, you fall asleep easier.