What to do when you cannot fall asleep

If you struggle falling asleep when you get into bed and end up spending minutes to hours trying to find the best comfortable position, then you will be glad to know that there are many solutions to this problem; according to the Sleep Foundation, a lot of people go through this issue at least once in their lifetime. Because of this, you will find that there are a lot of resources available online for you to improve your sleep over time.

I decided to conduct my own research and compiled all the best tips I could find and put them together in one place, so that it can be easy for you to come here and look through the different methods rather than scrolling through multiple long articles and finding different things to do, so read on for quick tips and techniques to see what would work best for you.

• Use the 4-7-8 method – while laying on your back in bed, relax your body and breathe in through your nose for four seconds, then hold it for seven, and exhale for eight seconds.
• An unexpected strategy to fall asleep is to actually do the opposite, which is by trying to stay awake. Turn the lights on and do not sit or lay down in your bed; instead, do something else that may tire you out.
• Get rid of all modern technology as it can distract your brain from getting ready to sleep.
• Try listening to calm background music while resting on your back
• Listen to a podcast aimed for people listening in the evening or night, avoid the louder and funnier shows as they can wake you up more.
• Create a sleep friendly environment around you; make sure you change your bed covers often, let your bed sheet breathe a little by opening the windows and removing the duvet aside, and dim the lights or use nightlights for a good sleeping atmosphere in the room.
• Use the body scan technique, where you focus on each part of your body and use the senses to bring awareness and intention to each part, then relax and move on to the next part; you should start feeling tired and sleepy soon as your body relaxes and feels heavier.
• Take a warm bath or shower beforehand, which for some people is a great remedy after a long day and before bed, helping the body to prepare for a good night’s rest.
• Meditate before going to bed; you can use YouTube tutorials for this method as there are many different kinds of meditation technique that suit different people.
• Exercise an hour or two before you start getting ready for bed, that way your body will have used up the energy left from the day and it will be ready to sleep once you get into bed.

Once you begin doing these regularly and you have a good night’s sleep, it will start to become easier and easier to help yourself sleep each night afterwards; this can benefit you both mentally and physically, so make sure you are sleeping at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every day, because a sleep schedule can impact the rest of the day and the following night!