Did you toss and turn on the bed yesterday night? And now you are feeling tired, restless, irritable, and having heavy eyes? And as an escape route immersing yourself in a monstrous-sized mug of black coffee! It’s all because you’re sleep-deprived. Not sleeping well leaves me in a drowsy state where I find it hard to get work done, I start craving for some rest, and in the process begin hurrying through my work. The end result is that the work doesn’t happen well enough, I don’t get the rest I am looking for, an elaborate mess in short!!
Off late I have been trying to bring about some lifestyle changes, which are conducive to getting a good night’s sleep. I try doing a few simple things these days. No, I’m not talking about asking someone to sing a lullaby to me! There are tons of ways to sleep better, and I’ll be giving you a few pointers to sleep better tonight!! C’mon now, I’ll share the tricks that are hidden up my sleeves. I bet y’all, you’ll start sleeping better if you implement these not-so-hard tweaks in your schedule.
Stick to a set schedule
No-brainer here, stick to a sleep-wake alarm. Yes, we unknowingly put off our body hints that it’s time to sleep and carry on with our series on HBO, sigh! And then because we slept late the previous night, we keep snoozing the alarm. Stop it, please and I’m saying that to myself as well. The sooner the body gets along with the sleep-wake cycle, the better rested we are and get up rejuvenated the next morning.
I love you coffee, but only till afternoon!
Can you please limit your trips to Starbucks for the latte or to the bar for a drink late in the evening! It’s so very important but we ignore this one. I know this but still, I was sipping on my Arabica beans coffee at well past 6 pm till last week. My primary care doctor explained how caffeine and alcohol affect our sleep and also result in sleep fragmentation. He advised having these only till late afternoon, if possible.
Furthermore, I really want to sneak this point in here, no checking emails, or posting on Instagram just before bedtime. Social media makes us anxious, excites us, and keeps us hooked as we listlessly keep scrolling through the feed. None of these are conducive to a peaceful sleep. Also, if you lie on the bed and keep typing or checking work emails, that hampers sleep as well because of the apprehension and restlessness that comes with it. Better to avoid all these just before calling it a day, please!
Calm the senses
Soothing music, a good night-time read, white noise, dim soft lighting are the best ways to fall asleep, period! I always prefer soft melodies or the sound of nature like a river flowing or the rhythmic ocean waves, meditation music, or contemporary or classic. And with the Amazon Echo, there are a lot of options by enabling Relaxing Sounds: Music Of Peace or Sleep and Relaxation Sounds. Enable on your Alexa device today!
Add to the music- the dim lights, it can help you fall asleep quickly. And the thermostat set at 60, a good quality mattress {the best one for you might be a pillow-top or an extra firm, choose wisely and don’t be a pinchpenny here} and a perfect-for-you pillow. All these will accentuate the falling-asleep process.
Dampen the stress
Managing stress levels can be a game-changer. I know it’s easier said than done and always not in our control. But it’s a proven fact that stress levels disrupt sleep. Keep it under tabs if you can. Sometimes meditation can be the answer to our stress-related woes, give it a try, you’ve got none to lose other than 10 minutes of your Facebook time before sleeping!!
Easy hacks, yes, please!
Bathing before hitting the sack is a quick, inexpensive trick that I’m rolling out my sleeve today. I have been doing this for the last week, soaking in a nice warm tub and dropping in a bit of lavender oil before going dropping dead on the bed. It’s not a magic trick but I have seen it helps to calm me down after a long hectic day. You can try the Chamomile or the Sandalwood or the Sweet Marjoram essential oil in your bath.
Small lifestyle changes go a long way
Maybe do a bit of yoga an hour before bedtime or create a regimen of exercising during the day. Can’t emphasize enough the importance of this. Exercise tires me out and I’m usually half drooping when I come back from the gym and only manage dinner somehow. But that was pre-covid times when hitting the gym was as normal as sleeping! But times, they are changing, guys! So before thinking of an excuse {due to covid and all} to skip the exercise regimen, figure out a trail or a biking track or a walking path where you can possibly do some running or take your bike for a spin. Trust me, exercising is the best way to induce sleep and so is yoga or meditation. The Yoga Journal has a quick guide to the best yoga poses to help us fall asleep faster.
There’s no one perfect checklist to getting that peaceful sleep tonight but you can mix-n-match these to arrive at a solution that works for you. For me listening to Frank Sinatra before I sleep is soul-shooting and for you may be reading a bestseller is just the best option! I am just exploring what can work for me and my tribe! Tell me which ones you’re trying and the ones that are working for you. After all, a night of restful sleep tonight is the key to being happy and cheerful at work tomorrow! Have a great night’s sleep, you guys!!