Some nights it seems impossible to get to sleep. You toss and turn, can’t get comfortable, your eyes keep popping open, your mind won’t stay quiet, etc. Well, I’m going to help with some solutions to that. Don’t get discouraged. Keep trying different things until you find what is right for you. We are all different, see we all require different things. So let’s get started with a list of 15 things you can do when you just can’t get to sleep.
Get out of bed
Now I know this may seem counter-intuitive, but trust me. It works. If you’ve been tossing and turning and just can’t seem to find the right spot. Get up, give yourself a five to ten-minute break and try again. Go get a glass of water. Look out a window. Go slow and steady so you don’t wake yourself even more. When you feel ready, hop back in bed and focus on sleep.
Read a book
Sometimes our brains won’t shut off and because of that, sleep evades us. So for this “remedy,” we are going to try and redirect those thoughts and take control. So, find yourself a book that soothes you and keeps you calm. You don’t want a horror book or thriller to keep you on your toes about what’s going to happen next. We want something calming, easy-going, simple, and easy to read. Read some pages until you feel calm and relaxed and try to get some sleep before the effects wear off.
Deep Breathing
This is one of the things that I use the most. Deep breathing exercises make you focus on only that one thing. Inhale for 5 seconds. Exhale for 5 seconds. Do this over and over until you feel the calmness weigh over you.
Meditate
Similar to deep breathing. mediating makes you focus on one thing. Except when you meditate you want to try and empty your mind. Some people can do that without any help, others need some to be able to get their minds clear. So, if you are one of those people who need help, try saying, Ohm. Some people hum to stay focused. Others focus on their breathing, much like the deep breathing exercise. Try to find which works best for you and give it a go.
Stretches
Just think, tossing and turning, can’t get comfy. Then you have a nice big stretch and yawn. Fast asleep you go. We can try and recreate that feeling to make your body know that you are ready for sleep. You can stretch in your bed or choose to get out of bed. It’s completely up to you. What we are going to do is lift our arms high, lean to one side and hold that pose. Come back to the center and lean the other way. Bring your arms to your side and make small circles, and swap directions. Now, if you are sitting you are going to cross your legs and fold forward, letting your head fall. If you are standing, stretch as far as you can and try to touch your toes, also letting your head fall. Let yourself fall into that stretch and stay as long as you want. Repeat as needed until you feel cozy and relaxed.
Listen to music
Listening to soothing music is a great way to keep your mind empty and only focus on what you can hear. Find you some music that keeps you calm and soothes your mind and revel in it. Keep the music on while you sleep or set it to a timer so it will go off after whatever time.
Use lavender scents
Lavender is a naturally calming scent. It interacts with your brain to calm, ease agitation, de-stress, and fight restlessness. You can find lavender in many different ways, so you can easily find what works for you. You can get lavender oils, lotions, creams, ChapStick, socks, and all kinds of ways.
Clean Your Room
A lot of people don’t realize how much physical aspects can affect your mental health. For example, I cannot sleep if my room is clean or even if it feels cluttered. The stressful energy and flow of the room affect how my mood and thoughts are. So for me when I am not able to sleep and my room isn’t nice and neat. I have to get up and fix it. Afterward, the room is clean and soothing, and in return so is my head. So give it a try.
Avoid your phone for 30 Minutes to An Hour Before Bed
Your phones, tablets, computers, and TV, all have something called blue light. It’s pretty self-explanatory. I’m sure you have seen all of the different blue light-blocking glasses they have out now. Blue light confuses the brain and causes melatonin suppression. When your melatonin gets suppressed it takes much longer to fall asleep and makes it harder to stay asleep. Try and avoid your phone at all costs.
Drink Chamomile Tea
Sometimes all we need is a little tea. Chamomile tea affects the receptors in your brain to make you tired. A wonderful plus, is also that it helps with anxiety. Even the fumes from your tea make you feel more relaxed and soothed and I don’t know about you but there is something about drinking a nice warm cup of tea that just relaxes every part of me.
Try to Write
A lot of the time when we are tired and trying to sleep, our mind decides it needs to worry about every little thing that there could be to worry about. A way to combat that is to write it all out. Writing can help you get the thoughts out of your head and onto something physical and often makes the spinning of your head stop. Now it is there for you to see. So there is no point in it running around in your head anymore.
Use an Eye Mask
This is another thing that I have to do often. My mind tends to keep going and going until I can’t keep my eyes shut. Wearing an eye mask fixes that. It puts pressure on my eyes to keep them closed, and if they do manage to open, there is nothing but the black inside of the mask to see. It helps to block light from an outside light or a light coming in from under a door. There are many different advantages of wearing an eye mask. It’s something I would recommend trying out for yourself.
Listen to White Noise
White noise is something to try if you cannot listen to music while trying to fall asleep. When you listen to white noise, it blocks all of the sudden changes in sound that may be keeping you awake. It is pretty much a sound buffer between you and whatever else you may be hearing. It can help you fall asleep and stay asleep due to not having sudden changes in sounds while you are trying to focus on sleep.
Count Sheep
Now, I know what you may be thinking. How could counting sheep be beneficial? I can seem a little childish but it does work. Like when you are trying to fall asleep and focus on your breathing. Counting sheep also makes you stay focused on one thing, your sheep. So what you can do is use your imagination and have your sheep running and jumping over a fence. All you have to do is count them as they jump. It may sound silly but it'll help clear your mind and have you only focusing on what you need to focus on, your sheep.
Have a Soothing Bath or Shower
Taking a warm bath or shower relaxes all of the sore muscles you have, while also making you feel like you are getting a huge warm hug. Who doesn't love a warm hug? In helping relax your muscles, it also helps relax you. You'll only be thinking about how warm and cozy you feel while you are throwing on some comfy pajamas and hopping back into your bed.
So as you can see there are many ways that you can help yourself when you just can’t fall asleep. Try some of these techniques out and let me know how it goes! Good luck and I hope you find your sleep!
Sincerely, Heaven.
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