Most people will experience a bout of insomnia at one time or another, and it can usually be linked to stress, medication, or simply not feeling tired.
If you frequently wake up and don’t feel rested, it can become a more long-term problem, which can impact your daily functioning, your mood, and your cognitive abilities. If this is the case, you may need to look at some ways to help you shut off at the end of a long day and get some much-needed sleep.
So, read on for a simple guide to getting a better night’s sleep.
Turn Your Phone Off
Almost everyone has a smartphone. When the lights go out, there is nothing better for some people than scrolling the internet before bed.
This has been found to interfere with REM sleep and the quality of sleep that you get. If you can, turn your phone off or simply don’t sleep with your phone next to you. Put it face down on the floor, roll over, and don’t look at social media!
Develop A Wind-Down Routine
Those who report having the best sleep have a wind-down routine at night. This may involve turning off the TV, making a cup of cocoa, turning off the computers, and reading in bed. Either way, if you are finding it harder to get to sleep at night, or it is taking longer, it may be worth exploring a wind-down routine, which you would usually start around an hour before you go to bed. Make sure you avoid exercise, though, as this can stimulate adrenaline which will keep you awake.
Eye Mask
External light cues are one way that the body wakes up in the morning. This is why people tend to feel sleepier in the winter months and wake up earlier in the summer.
If you are sensitive to external light cues and are fed up with broken sleep because of them, it is worth getting a black-out eye mask. These can also gently apply pressure around the eye area, helping to reduce any swelling and puffiness that may occur if you don’t get a good night’s sleep.
Earbuds
Most people complain that as they are falling asleep, there is a noise from their neighbors’ homes or the street outside that wakes them up. Then they have to start the process of falling asleep again.
If you live on a street that is noisy or you have louder neighbors than you would like, it is well worth investing in some earbuds. These are comfy, affordable, and effective, meaning you can block out external noises and get a good night’s sleep. Just be sure that if you have an alarm, you set it to a louder volume!
Manage The Temperature
If you are trying to sleep in a bedroom that is too hot, your sleep will be disturbed. In a similar vein, if you try to sleep in a bedroom that is too cold, you will wake up feeling achy and sore. Not only that, but if you sleep in a room that is colder, you are going to spend the night rolling around, trying to get more cover. Not great if you share a bed with someone!
Try to manage the temperature in your bedroom as best as you can; on warmer nights, if you can, sleep with the windows open and have a fan or air cooler on. In the winter, aim to sleep with a hot water bottle and some extra bedding.
