Itâs no secret that sleeping well can have a huge impact on mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Indeed, itâs so evident that youâd likely know it even if there wasn’t a wealth of research to support that claim. Everyone feels better when theyâve got a solid nightâs sleep under their belts.
Alas, that doesnât always happen. There are times when, despite our best wishes, staying and falling asleep seems to be an impossible task.
While the occasional restless night is inevitable, if itâs something that happens frequently, then itâs time to take action. In this post, weâll run through a few tried-and-tested strategies for increasing the quality of your sleep.
Create a Sleep-Friendly Bedroom
Some people are lucky enough that they can sleep anywhere, but most people need to be in a calm and sleep-friendly environment. Youâd think that your bedroom would automatically be sleep-friendly, since, well, thatâs where your bed is. However, thatâs not automatically the case. If your bedroom is cluttered, noisy, or otherwise stressful, then youâll find it more difficult to sleep through the night. Work on making your bedroom a calm, zen-esque space, and youâll find it easier to reach the land of Nod.
Wind Down
Are you perplexed by your inability to drift off to sleep once you’re in bed? It might be what youâre doing before you hit the hay thatâs preventing you from drifting away. Many people spend their evenings staring at their smartphones, and this habit keeps their brains in a state of alertness that can make it difficult to fall asleep. In the hour before getting into bed, look at putting away your phone and doing relaxing activities, such as reading, meditating, or light yoga.
Comfortable Sleeping
Your bedroom might be the most relaxing place on the planet, but if youâre not comfortable when youâre in bed, then youâll be making it more difficult to fall asleep than it needs to be. Investing in a quality mattress and a cotton night dress can make all the difference, allowing your body to sink into a deep level of relaxation that makes it much easier to drift away. Putting together a truly relaxing sleeping environment will increase the chances that youâll sleep through the night, too â just be aware that you might be more comfortable than getting up in the morning is a challenge!
What to Do If You Wake Up in the Night
No one sleeps through the night every night. So, what should you do if you wake up at 3 am? First of all, avoid looking at your phone. It can be tempting, but itâll only wake you up even more. Instead, make any adjustments you need to get yourself comfortable and try the sleeping breathing hack, which is as follows:
- Breathe in for four seconds.
- Hold for seven seconds.
- Exhale for eight seconds.
Do that for a minute, and you should be ready to fall asleep again. Start counting backwards from 100 in your mind, and you should be asleep by the time you reach zero.
