- Read
Now you’ve limited that screen time, treat yourself to a relaxing hour of reading before bed. If you aren’t a big reader, this might be a hard habit to start with, but it pays off: some nights, you’ll be barely a couple of pages in before drifting off!We recommend reading fiction rather than non-fiction: Try something escapist that will take you out of everyday life.
Amazon’s Audible is another great option for all you light readers. You can access a free trial by clicking this link - Get into a relaxing routine
Once you get into a groove with relaxing rituals, try to stick with them. That way, your body gets used to knowing that when you have a bath/drink warm milk/whatever that it means sleep soon. - Take a bath or shower
Some people swear by baths, but showers are just as effective to prepare for bedtime. Just stay away from any ‘energizing’ scents to keep it a relaxing ritual.
- If you wake up, get up and do something BORING
Once when I couldn’t sleep, I got up at 4 am, and reorganized every spare cable and plug in the house, while I watched a TV documentary on synchronized swimming.I took a tangled mess of wires and organized them into neatly cable tied and color-coded sections. It didn’t help me get back to sleep, but I did achieve something productive when I could have laid in bed tossing and turning trying vainly to get back to sleep.
Stay away from anything potentially stressful – like budgeting or paperwork – and stick to simple chores like ironing instead. Nor do we recommend doing fun things like watching your favorite show on Netflix, as rewarding yourself might condition you to stay awake more.
- Lose ‘the fear’ of not sleeping
Following on from the above advice, try if you can to make not-sleeping, not a big deal. It can feel lonely at the time – when it’s 3 am and everyone else is slumbering soundly – but it’s unrealistic to think anyone will have 6,7, or even 8 hours of unbroken sleep for the rest of their days. Insomnia happens to literally everyone at one time or another.If you aren’t sleeping tonight, you’ll most likely make it up another night. And anything you can do to try and lose the negative associations and make it less of a big deal will help you to chill out more and make sleep more likely.
- Set a regular wake-up time
Set a wake-up time and STICK to it. This is really hard if you have some rough nights, but dose yourself up with some caffeine in the morning and try to put the fact you haven’t slept well out of your mind. Don’t sleep in to catch up on sleep and NEVER, EVER nap during the day (unless you’re a baby!)
I have never been a fan of alarms, this low-cost Fitbit alternative wakes you with gentle vibrations
- Cut out caffeine after 2 pm
Caffeine might be needed in the mornings, but by the afternoon you’re on the home stretch and you don’t want to overstimulate yourself. By the evening, you should aim to be on a gradual wind-down. Try not to drink anything at all less than an hour before going to bed, so you don’t wake up needing a bathroom break!If you are wanting to reduce your caffeine dependence without the headaches, swap a coffee or two for these tablets, they are lighter on caffeine but will satisfy any cravings.
Follow a combination of these tips and you’re sure to drastically improve your sleep! What’s your favorite way to get to sleep Let us know in the comments!
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