Many people struggle with falling or staying asleep—having their mind race stopping them from getting a full night of restful, uninterrupted sleep. Insomnia and Anxiety often go hand-in-hand and can cause you to toss and turn for hours. Fortunately, there are several ways you can improve the quality of your sleep. The following are six natural ways you can calm your mind and enjoy a better night’s rest:
1. Regular exercise
It’s important to exercise every day for several reasons. Not only can regular exercise improve your cardiovascular health and help you shed unwanted pounds, it can also help tire out your body and your mind so you develop a natural circadian rhythm for when you’re awake or asleep so you can sleep soundly. Just make sure when you exercise it’s not within a few hours of bedtime or you can throw off your sleep schedule.
2. Meditation
If your anxiety and stress levels are what’s keeping you awake at night, consider trying meditation. This simple, yet effective, breathing practice can help keep you focused on the “here and now,” so you can turn off your “hamster brain” and stop stressing out about things you have no control over (or that can at least wait until tomorrow). There are several helpful mindful meditation apps you can subscribe to, you can also find hard copy resources at your local library to help you get started.
3. Avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol
Caffeine is a stimulant, and while a cup of coffee may help you get a jump start on your day, it can also be responsible for your sleepless nights. If you must have coffee every day, be sure you consume no more than three cups and try not to have any caffeine at least six hours before you go to bed. Alcohol is another substance that can negatively impact your sleep, as it is mostly sugar and will keep you awake as your body works to metabolize it. Try to drink no more than one drink per evening in order to improve your sleep quality.
4. Melatonin supplements
Melatonin is a naturally occurring substance in your brain that helps you fall and stay asleep. Unfortunately, melatonin production can be disrupted by stress, lack of natural light exposure, and the aging process. Consider taking a melatonin supplement to help you fall asleep tonight. Melatonin supplements can be purchased online, as well as from your local drugstore or natural food store.
5. Keep your room dark and cool
Heat and light emanating from your lamp, laptop, smartphone, tablet, and television can make it difficult to relax and prepare for a good night’s sleep. Make sure you keep your thermostat lower at night and turn off your television and all lights in your room to signal to your body that it’s now time to rest. If you live by a streetlight or there are bright lights outside, you may want to invest in a sleep mask or blackout curtains.
6. Keep electronic devices out of the bedroom
As tempting as it might be to scroll through social media or answer a work email before bedtime, electronic devices are some of the biggest disruptors when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. The blue light emanating from these devices actually decreases the amount of melatonin that is secreted in your brain, making sleep that much more difficult. Try to keep your cell phone away from your bed or even put it in another room (or on “do not disturb and silent) before bedtime if necessary.
