Can’t Sleep? Try Some Of These Methods
Suffering from insomnia is one of the worst medical conditions. You may experience symptoms like sleepiness, grumpy moods and difficulty concentrating. People who have chronic insomnia have trouble falling asleep or getting enough sleep for over three months. There are many causes of insomnia, and one of them is bad sleep hygiene. If you’re staying up marathoning a new Netflix show, or drinking too much alcohol or caffeine before bed, you are preventing yourself from sleeping well. Keep reading to find out how you can shift your habits to set yourself up for a good night’s sleep.
Try A Supplement
Taking a supplement can help you feel tired and help you stay asleep with no adverse side effects. Unlike prescription sleeping pills which may be addictive, natural supplements are not and include calming ingredients like lemon balm and chamomile. They help make you feel tired with the ingredient melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced in your brain. Your melatonin levels rise when you get tired, and they may not be high enough when you are ready to go to bed, which prevents you from falling asleep right away. Supplements with at least 6 mg of melatonin are most effective. If you’re unsure of what brand of supplement to buy, you can go to supplement review sites like Review Critic. This website has reviews and customer feedback all about different types of supplements. You can pick a supplement that is highly recommended to ensure you’re getting a high-quality product.
Turn Off Your Screens
Recent research has emerged saying that the bright LED light from your gadgets is making you stay up later. The longer you spend staring at your phone, iPad or TV, the longer you may be awake. This is because the melatonin levels in your brain, which we discussed before, are lowered the more light you are exposed to. Think of how hard it is to fall back asleep when you wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Once you turn your light on, your brain has already starting to wake itself up. To counteract this effect, you need to limit your screen time an hour or so before bed. You can do some calming activities like reading, and it is even advised to dim the lights to let your brain know it’s bedtime.
Cut Down On Caffeine and Alcohol
Yes, there are people who can drink coffee all day and have no problems falling asleep later. But, if you are not one of those special few, you should avoid drinking anything caffeinated at least four to six hours before bedtime. Caffeine not only heightens your blood pressure, but it also prevents you from reaching REM sleep. REM stands for rapid eye movement, and it is a type of deep sleep that you only achieve after being asleep for several hours. Drinking caffeinated beverages affects your sleep/wake cycle. It prolongs the time you are awake and makes you feel awake long after your usual bedtime. Alcohol has similar effects as well. Not only will you not feel tired during your usual bedtime, you will also not be able to get restorative sleep. Although you can fall asleep quickly after drinking a lot, you tend to wake up a lot, due to your full bladder. Therefore, switch to decaf after your first cup of coffee so you will be able to fall asleep. Drinking water during a night out at a bar will definitely prevent any adverse effects from alcohol, and limiting your intake will ensure that you will sleep deeply.
Sleep Hygiene: It’s Really Important
Chronic sleep issues like insomnia are hard to deal with but thankfully they can be treated. A lot of people who have trouble sleeping fail to practice good sleep hygiene. Therefore, make sure to limit your screen time before bed to keep your melatonin levels high. Cutting down on coffee and alcohol will help you reach REM sleep and feel rested after waking up. If you want a little help falling asleep, you can always get a natural supplement to help you fall asleep without any unpleasant side effects. Keep up with these good habits and you’ll be waking up rested in no time.