Getting enough sleep can sometimes be challenging, especially when we have a busy schedule. Falling asleep faster can help increase the amount of time we have left to sleep while also making more efficient use of our schedule. This is crucial because having enough quality sleep will lead to many positive benefits such as good health, greater productivity, and improved morale. In this article, we will cover effective natural home remedies and lifestyle habits that can help you with falling asleep faster.
Regulate Exposure to Light
Our body has an internal clock that regulates sleep and wakefulness. The essential hormone for sleep known as melatonin increases in production when our bodies are subject to darkness but will decrease production during the day. Exposing ourselves to bright natural sunlight and artificial lights can help in keeping us alert.
Properly regulating our exposure to bright lights will prevent the disruption of circadian rhythms, making it easier to stay awake during the day and fall asleep faster at night. Try to find time throughout the day for exposure to bright natural sunlight or artificial lights. This in combination with a bedroom that has darker colored curtains will assist in falling asleep faster.
Destress and Calm Down
Clearing the mind from as much mental stress as possible will make the focus on falling asleep much easier when it is time to go to bed. Popular activities such as mindfulness and meditation improve our mental clarity through the practice of calming down with proper breathing patterns. Yoga also does this in combination with body movements which help in releasing stress and tension accumulated by our body.
Relaxing daytime music can also be played in the background throughout the day to bring a calm and soothing atmosphere. Another popular solution for calming down is to play rain sounds or block all noises through the use of noise-canceling headphones.
Healthy Eating Practices
Healthy eating practices play a vital role in maintaining a strong immune system and preventing indigestions at night. The good news is that it may not be necessary to completely remove our favorite junk foods from our diet, however, it is important to monitor the quantity we consume. Although we may have different allergies, researching healthy foods that have no allergens and spending time preparing our meals will help in our journey to a healthy diet.
Eating and drinking on schedule can also assist with falling asleep faster. For example, studies have shown that consuming caffeine up to six hours before bedtime can impact sleep quality. By avoiding sources of caffeine when there is less than or equal to six hours before bedtime, falling asleep becomes easier. Drinking warm milk or lactose intolerance alternatives that are naturally rich in tryptophan make effective natural sleep aids before bed.
Daytime Physical Activities
Working out at a gym or trying a new sport can often lead to physical and mental health improvements. Nearly all types of physical activities when practiced at a medium level of intensity will assist with getting a goodnight’s sleep. This is because moderate-intensity exercise decreases the levels of a stress hormone called cortisol while also boosting our brain’s serotonin production for longer and better-quality sleep.
Since excessive training can result in poor sleep, it is recommended to stick to moderate levels of intensity when exercising. The correct level of intensity also reduces the risk of injuries, muscle strains, and soreness. Finishing an exercise one to two hours before bed may work for some of us, however, trying out different schedules and figuring out what works best for you is more important. This can depend on how long it takes for your heart rate and body temperature to settle before heading to bed.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is commonly practiced for relaxation and to assist those with difficulty going to sleep. Although the essential oils found in aromatherapy can be used in many different ways, they are typically used in combination with oil diffusers to encourage sleep by infusing relaxing scents into a room. Multiple studies have also indicated aromatherapy as an effective method of improving sleep quality.
Some of the scents commonly used in aromatherapy include:
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Orange
- Damask rose
- Lemon
These essential oils also help manage anxiety and stress through other therapeutic techniques. If this is your first time, you can start simply by mixing small amounts of the essential oils with water for a diluted mixture that can be spritzed onto a mattress or pillow.
Control Bedtime Temperature
A comfortable bedroom temperature makes the process of falling asleep faster and easier. The suggested bedroom temperatures can range from 60 to 67° F (15 to 19° C), however, finding what works best for you is more important. Adjust your thermostat as needed and be sure to monitor the actual temperature being felt. This is because a thermostat reading may not always accurately account for how the room temperature truly feels to you, especially during changes in the weather or seasons.
Warm showers can also help speed up the temperature changes in our bodies. As our body cools down after a warm shower, this process can send signals to our brain to go to sleep. In one literature review, sleep efficiency and sleep quality were shown to improve for participants who took a shower or bath 1-2 hours before bed at ranges from 40.0°C–42.5°C.
Turn Off Electronics Before Bed
Activities such as browsing the web, watching TV, video games, and networking through social media during late hours can make falling asleep much more challenging. The blue lights emitted by these electronic devices can result in the suppression of melatonin, resulting in a harder time falling asleep. If you need to use these devices when it is close to bedtime, having blue light filters and wearing suitable glasses can help make it easier to fall asleep later.
Besides the blue lights, these devices often become sources of distraction by keeping our minds active late at night when we should be resting. One of the methods that can help to reduce distractions is to turn off all electronic devices before heading to bed. Wearing a sleep mask and placing your phone face down will help to block out light sources and also makes checking on your phone less tempting.
Comfortable Adjustable Beds
Comfortable resting positions are crucial for preventing new injuries from developing and promoting the recovery of old injuries like back and neck pain. Because there is no universal one-size-fits-all, we offer head & foot adjustments as our most fundamental features included in all progressive adjustable beds. With adjustable beds, users can make fine-tuned adjustments to the exact position that is most comfortable for them.
Adjustable mattresses paired with our automated adjustable bed frames help promote better quality sleep, improve posture, and offer convenient features to allow for the most relaxing user experience possible. Our progressive adjustable beds also have the versatility of changing configurations for other activities like watching television, working on a laptop, or reading a book. This allows for proper support and comfort throughout daily activities, ensuring users a pain-free time at night to fall asleep fast.
Check-up with Your Doctor
Although everyone has different situations, the general recommendation for a routine checkup with your doctor tends to be:
- Once every 3 years for individuals with good health below the age of 50
- Once a year for individuals at the age of 50 and up
If you have done everything you can and still have lots of trouble with getting proper sleep, try visiting a doctor for advice. Consultation from a doctor can help us understand what we need to practice and potentially add to our routine. Doing extra research and asking your doctor if natural sleep aids and supplements were necessary for you can help determine if they are suitable for your condition.
Maintain a Consistent Schedule
All these natural home remedies and lifestyle practices are great for making lifelong improvements; however, it is important to remain consistent. Once we have reached a comfortable state in life, it may be tempting to fall back to our original habits. The danger with letting go of a healthy lifestyle is that doing so may make the process of coming back more challenging.
One way to help with making these good practices easier to maintain is to set a consistent schedule. Just a few minutes of planning by using a calendar or notebook can make a big difference in how we handle our daily tasks. Since life is unpredictable, it is normal to take short breaks once in a while. Doing so is usually fine as long as we will continue staying on schedule and maintain our good practices.
In Summary
Natural home remedies combined with healthy lifestyle habits can help us make more efficient use of time by falling asleep faster. Aside from helping us to get enough sleep, these practices can truly make long-lasting positive impacts on our well-being by promoting a longer, healthier, and happier life.
We hope you found this article helpful and informative, especially if you were looking for some tips on how to fall asleep faster! If you have any queries or wish to discuss our adjustable beds further, please do not hesitate in reaching out to us! We are experts in what we do and want to ensure you find the best bed solutions to meet your needs.
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