If you are anything like me, falling asleep is a constant struggle. There are so many factors that affect my sleep. Don’t get me wrong, I love sleeping. It’s the falling asleep part that needs some help. I have researched ways to get a good night’s sleep and not long after, I started to adapt certain advice into my night-time routine. I am a night owl and nothing will ever change that. However, if I can feel that bit more rested when I wake up in the morning, I’m willing to make a few small changes.
Put your phone away: How many times have you been told this? While you tirelessly scroll through various social media platforms, your eyes fight to stay open. Do you really need to see the latest posts? Personally, I think you would do a huge favour not only for your sleep but also for your mental health.
Being a night owl encourages a late-night snack: I mean who doesn’t love to have something small before heading to sleep? The key is to eat something small if you must. Otherwise, you will send your stomach on a mission to digest a heavy meal. This can cause acid reflux, indigestion and heartburn. The more time you give your body to break down the food before climbing into bed, the better.
Having a routine is truly rewarding. Your bedtime habits will affect your focus and performance during the day. It’s best if you can wake up and go to bed at set times. Not only will you be rested but it might boost your emotional well-being. Purchase an alarm clock instead of using your phone! This ties in with taking naps throughout the day. Try to break the habit of napping.
You could also try out different essential oils to help ease your mind and consequently help with falling asleep. We always think about our sight, sound and touch. It’s best to fall asleep in a dark room with no noise, covered by warm sheets. However, not many people think about the sense of smell. There are certain scents that can calm our bodies down after a long day. Consider lavender, rose, roman chamomile or jasmine. I have also heard of pillow sprays that are meant to promote a peaceful night’s sleep.
Fighting stress and overthinking at night time is a part of my routine. There is something about lying down in a dark room with your eyes closed, that flips a switch. Not all of it is necessarily negative. I like to plan my following day and think about what I will eat for breakfast. But I can’t lie and pretend like I don’t stress over what has happened throughout the day. I try to catch myself whenever I drift towards negative thoughts. It happened, the world did not end and I get to try again the next day. Sometimes we can get so worked up about little things that we won’t think of in a few days’ time.
Don’t give up if you find some of these changes difficult at the beginning. This is not meant to be easy, otherwise, we would all be walking examples of a good night’s sleep.
