Five Natural Ways to Support a Better Night's Sleep
Are you struggling every night to fall asleep and find yourself becoming increasingly frustrated, tired and grouchy the following day because of lack of sleep? Do you find that you are falling asleep easily but struggle to stay asleep throughout the night? Many people struggle with these concerns and they seem to occur more frequently during changes in seasons, times of travel, and during increased periods of stress. Additionally, daylight savings time triggers problems with sleep due to the sudden increase in daylight towards the end of the evening. It takes time for our bodies to adjust to this, and we can help speed the adjustment process by trying the following techniques to support a better night’s sleep.
1. Establish an evening routine: This is similar to our morning routine and just as important. To prepare our bodies for an evening of restful sleep, we need to follow a routine that triggers our body to become drowsy. Everyone’s evening routines will be different depending on specific needs and lifestyles. Here are some suggestions for you to add into your evening routine. Do what works best for you.
a. Turn off electronics: It is extremely important to set a time one to two hours before bed where we do not use electronic devices (cell phones, television, computers, tablets, etc.). According to the National Sleep Foundation, the blue light that is emitted from electronic devices confuses our sleep-wake cycle. Our bodies are primed to light in order to promote wakefulness during the day. Conversely, in the evening when there is less light, our bodies learn that it is time to fall asleep. Therefore, if we lower the lights and limit our time on our electronic devices before bed we naturally promote sleep.
b. Drink a cup of chamomile tea: This is a natural way to calm and relax the body and mind.
c. Take a hot bath or shower: Just before bed, take a hot bath or shower. This promotes relaxation due to the change in body temperature from hot to cool (which occurs naturally just before falling asleep).
d. Do some relaxation techniques: Try some guided meditations specifically for inducing sleep, check out diaphragmatic breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation exercises, or yoga poses that induce sleep.
2. Limit your activities in your bedroom to sleeping and sex: Our beds and bedrooms should not be used for watching television, reading, and working. Doing these activities in bed confuses our bodies into thinking that this is a place where we should be activated. It is important to reserve this space for sleeping and intimate activities with our partners.
3. Get yourself on a regular sleep schedule: Try as much as possible to go to sleep at the same time and arise at the same time each day. Your body enjoys this schedule and more easily adjusts to falling asleep and waking up at the same time. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get at least 7-9 hours of sleep each night. In order to support your overall mental health and wellness it is important to strive for these numbers.
4. Keep your bedroom cool and dark at night: If possible, keep your bedroom cool at night as the cooler temperature supports more restful sleep.
5. Waking up in the middle of the night and having trouble falling back to sleep: Do not look at the clock as this causes us to have racing thoughts about what time we need to wake up, hours left to sleep, etc. We begin planning for our day or ruminating about finances, occurrences from the day before, etc.
Our brains are made to think so it is normal to wake up in the middle of the night and begin ruminating about anything that’s possible to think about. Instead, allow yourself to stay in bed in the dark with your eyes closed. Try some deep breathing, or meditation techniques where you notice the deep breath going into and out of your body. Try to notice the weight of your body lying on your bed and the way the sheets feel against your skin. In other words, stay in the moment, if you notice yourself starting to think about things, notice that you are thinking, label your thoughts, and allow them to pass by. It can be helpful to imagine yourself looking up at a beautiful clear blue sky, and each time a thought or worry comes to mind, imagine it as if it were a bird flying through the sky leaving no trace behind it. Each time a new worry pops up, imagine it as if it were another bird gracefully flying by.
One of the easiest ways to further disrupt the sleep cycle is to reach for your electronic devices in the middle of the night. The blue light emitted from your electronic device confuses the body and triggers the wake-sleep cycle. If you find that the deep breathing and meditation techniques have not supported you in falling back to sleep, try making yourself another cup of chamomile tea and journal your thoughts. Remind yourself that lying in the dark and meditating can have the same restful qualities as sleeping.
Due to our busy schedules, it can be extremely difficult to find the time to try these recommendations. Try these techniques for at least a week and you will notice that your body will quickly adjust to the new routine and you will immediately notice the benefits of enjoying a more restful sleep.
Please note: it is important to seek further advice from your doctor, or pediatrician regarding sleep concerns as we always want to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Additionally, contact a mental health professional to set up a time to discuss these concerns if sleep problems are getting in the way of your day to day functioning.