How can I fall asleep more easily?

• Difficulty falling asleep;
• Night awakenings;
• Early awakenings;
• Feeling of non-restorative sleep;
• And more

If this phenomenon persists: at least 3 times a week for at least a month, it leads to fatigue, attention and concentration problems, and irritability.

Insomnia can be treated with medication, but it can often be addressed with behavioral changes. In this article, we will tell you what bad habits to eliminate to no longer suffer from insomnia and help you fall asleep more easily.

Do not use screens before going to bed

In our modern society, screens are everywhere, all the time. It is proven that blue light produced by most of our screens: computer, tablet, phone, disrupts our biological clock. Our body is very sensitive to light and relies on it to dictate our phases of life and sleep throughout the day.

These different screens also interfere with the production of melatonin. This hormone is essential for sleep. By exposing yourself to it before going to bed, you inevitably delay your sleep phase.

We advise you not to use screens one to two hours before going to bed. Establishing this ritual, although difficult at first, will be beneficial for your sleep in the long term.

Additionally, remember to put your phone on airplane mode or "do not disturb" when you go to bed to avoid being woken up by noise, vibrations, or light.

Sleep in a dark room

Again, this is crucial to not disrupt our biological clock. Just like the blue light from our screens, light in general, regardless of its type, impacts the production of melatonin. The problem is that today most devices are equipped with standby lights, such as heaters, televisions, routers, fans, etc. A study conducted by the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance, published in 2016, found that 49% of French people who sleep near a computer in standby mode suffer from sleep problems.

We advise you to keep all devices with these small standby lights away from your sleeping area. If this is not possible, you can also cover these light points. You will find it easier to fall asleep and wake up less during the night.

Don't obsess

Connected sleep devices have seen a real boom in recent years. But they do not only have advantages. Even though these devices allow sleep analysis, they can also trigger obsessive disorders. By thinking too much about our sleep, we tend to produce the opposite effect and have difficulty falling asleep. This phenomenon is called orthosomnia.

Take a good hot bath

Taking a hot bath before going to bed helps you fall asleep more easily, as demonstrated by a medical review published in August 2019.

We recommend taking a bath 90 minutes before going to bed. Not later, because what plays a role in your falling asleep is the phase where your body temperature drops. This phase follows the exit from your hot bath. When our body temperature drops, we release melatonin, the hormone that triggers sleep.

Sleep in a clean bed

This advice may seem odd at first, and one may wonder about the cleanliness of their bed. In reality, bed linens absorb body secretions and retain dead skin cells, which dust mites love. However, dust mites are sleep disruptors. We advise you to change your sheets once a week.

Moreover, it is better to sleep on anti-mite pillows, as your sleep will be less disturbed. The perfect Sleepit pillow is an anti-mite pillow that does not contain any biocides. Biocides are often used in so-called anti-mite materials, although they are harmful to our health and the environment.

Watch your diet

Some foods naturally help us sleep better, especially those rich in fiber. Fiber triggers faster falling asleep and better sleep, as demonstrated by a study published in the Journal Sleep Medicine.

Foods rich in vitamin D also have very good benefits for our sleep and falling asleep, such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, or egg yolks.

Be sure not to eat too heavily in the evening. Indeed, heavy meals will complicate digestion and delay falling asleep, or even disturb your sleep.

Exercise

Sleep and sports are closely related. When we engage in physical activity, our body releases endorphins that promote sleep.

We recommend engaging in physical activity 2 to 3 times a week. It will take you an average of 8 weeks to see a real change in your falling asleep and sleep, so be patient.

However, avoid high-intensity activities before going to bed. These activities raise body temperature, whereas our body temperature needs to be low to fall asleep easily.

Moreover, in this article, we explain the close relationship between sports and sleep and how to understand it.

Establish a sleep routine

Try to go to bed and get up at regular times. This sleep routine may take a few weeks to establish properly. However, it will be very beneficial for you once it is in place.

Relax

Easier said than done, we agree. Engage in an activity that relaxes you before going to bed, such as reading or meditating. These activities will clear your mind and help you fall asleep more easily.

You can also write. Writing is a good way to put your thoughts on paper. You can write down things you need to do the next day or things that are bothering you. This way, your mind will be less likely to dwell on these ideas when you are trying to fall asleep.

Need to fall back asleep?

During the night, you can try to fall back asleep by focusing on your body. Scan your body from head to toe, trying to feel each part. If you can't do this, leave the bedroom, sit in a chair under dim light, and do something relaxing like reading a book or a magazine. Avoid looking at a bright screen, then return to bed as soon as you start feeling sleepy. And try not to look at the time.

Conclusion

Remember that we spend a third of our lives sleeping, a part that is essential to preserve. By applying these tips, you will be able to fall asleep more easily and regain good sleep quality.

Find all our sleep tips in this section.

The post How to Fall Asleep More Easily? first appeared on Le journal de l'oreiller.