What are some tips to help me to go to sleep at night?

Question

Its hard for me to go to bed and night, i dont know why. maybe because I think about alot of stuff when i should be sleeping, but i cant help that.

Answer 1

The follow tips can help you sleep better

1. Relax your mind

Simple breathing exercises can help. Breathe, using your abdomen not your chest, through your nose for three seconds, then breathe out for three seconds. Pause for three seconds before breathing in again. Practise this for ten minutes at night (five minutes is better than nothing).

Some people find that lavender oil, valerian or other herbs help them to sleep.

If you still have problems, you could try massage, aromatherapy, or even acupuncture.

If you still find yourself tossing and turning, abandon the bedroom and find something enjoyable and absorbing to do.

Jigsaws are perfect. Don't go back to bed until you begin to feel sleepy.

2. Exercise regularly

Regular exercise is a great way to improve your sleep. Just be careful not to do it close to bed time as exercise produces stimulants that stop the brain from relaxing quickly.

This being the case, exercising in the morning is an excellent way to wake up the body. Going for a run or doing some aerobics releases stimulants into the body, which perks you up.

3. Create a calm bedroom environment

Your bedroom should be for sleep only. Avoid turning it into an entertainment centre with televisions, computers and stereos.

Two thirds of British children have a computer, games machine or TV in their bedroom and could be losing out on sleep as a result.
Avoid alcohol

It's fine to have a nightcap, but too much alcohol can make you restless. Alcohol is also a diuretic, which means it encourages you to urinate (never welcomed during the night).

Drinking is also more likely to lead to snoring, which can restrict airflow into the lungs. This reduces oxygen in your blood which disturbs your sleep and contributes to your hangover.

4. Avoid caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant which can stay in your system for many hours. So avoid sources of caffeine such as coffee, chocolate, cola drinks and non-herbal teas.

5. Watch what you eat

Eating a large heavy meal too close to bedtime will interfere with your sleep.

Spicy or fatty foods may cause heartburn, which leads to difficulty in falling asleep and discomfort throughout the night.

Foods containing tyramine (bacon, cheese, ham, aubergines, pepperoni, raspberries avocado, nuts, soy sauce, red wine) might keep you awake at night. Tyramine causes the release of norepinephrine, a brain stimulant.

If you get the munchies close to bedtime, eat something that triggers the hormone serotonin, which makes you sleepy.

Carbohydrates such as bread or cereal will do the trick.

Set a regular bedtime and wake up time

Create a habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends. This helps anchor your body clock to these times. Resisting the urge for a lie-in can pay dividends in alertness.

If you feel you haven't slept well, resist the urge to sleep in longer than normal; getting up on schedule keeps your body in its normal wake-up routine.

Remember, even after only four hours, the brain has gained many of the important benefits of sleep.

It's only natural

Most of us have a natural dip in alertness between 2 - 4pm.
A 15 minute nap when you're tired can be a very effective way of staying alert throughout the day. Avoid napping for longer than 20 minutes, after which you will enter deep sleep and feel even worse when you wake up.

See a doctor if your problem continues

If you have trouble falling asleep night after night, or if you always feel tired the next day, you might have a sleep disorder. It is advisable to seek more advice from your doctor. Most sleep disorders can be treated effectively.

Answer 2

Herbs such as Hops, chamomile, catnip, valerian (only if Not exhausted), hawthorn, etc. The minerls Calcium & Magnesium, in the amount Your body needs, as citrate, works well. Gentle music that has no related lyrics that might stimulate your mind. Blue light, from a deep royal or indigo blue, 'party (light) bulb'. The blue light can be on together with regular light, & still works for me within 15-20 minutes.

How to Improve Your Sleep
- Nighttime Drama
- The Principal Causes of Insomnia
- Sleep deprivation can be dangerous
- Diagnosing Sleep Disorders
> How to Get a Good Night's Sleep
- Exercise, reading, and a light snack may improve the quality of sleep.
http://watchtower.org/e/20030322/article_02.htm

Answer 3

If you drink anything with caffiene, don't drink it after noon at all. Avoid chocolate and sweets at night. If you watch tv at night, be sure it's soothing and not suspensful or violent.

Take a hot bath or shower right before bed, it will relax you. If you take sleep aids try unisom, or any of the over the counter sleep aids. Tylenol pm (or any of the pm pain meds) also work, but I find they make my limbs tingle and I have more trouble waking than from plain sleep aids. When I do take any sort of pill sleep aid, I usually only take 1/2 anyway.

If you don't want to take a sleep aid, you could try Kava Extract, or another extract product called RELAX which is from Rainbow Light. You can get both of these at health food stores. Also, you could drink relaxing tea, celestial seasonings has Tension Tamer and Sleepytime, both of which are great for relaxing. There's lots more relaxing teas at your health food stores.

Finally, try to think of positive things or to empty your mind at bedtime. This will get easier with time if you keep at it. Thinking about bad or upsetting things at bedtime not only keeps you awake but gives you bad dreams which means a poorer quality rest.

Answer 4

I try to not go to bed while I am still awake and alert, right now I am getting close to knowing it is time for bed. Your body will tell you when it is tired, and trying to go to bed before that time will only cause tossing and turning.

I personally watch either an episode of Scrubs (not The Office, I laugh to much) or read a book. I really love reading now that I have started to do it more often.

Try to relax, when I am thinking about to many things while trying to sleep, I slowly go through them all and shut them out and focus on thinking "ok, MW lets get some sleep here." I guess I try to trick myself.

Haha, theres a few random/off the wall tips by myself. Goodluck!

Answer 5

i have the same problem my mind races at night ....and my fiance snores so either way I'm screwed. i used over the counter sleeping aids like Tylenol pm or benadrel or sleepnal (not sure of the spelling sorry) if its really serious maybe you should ask a doctor if there is a prescription for you. Oh yeah sometimes a warm bubble bath with a glass of milk can help out to relax you before taking meds. Oh and exercising every day a little before bedtime helps too.

Good luck

Answer 6

A couple things for you to think about. If you get your body on a schedule of laying down at the same time. This may help you actually wind down and fall asleep at the same time. This would also require you to get up at the same time.

You could also try to meditate or do yoga before bed.

Aslo don't eat a large meal 4 hours before bed time. If you get hungry befor bed, it is usually best to just eat a snack.

Another thing to not do, is read in bed, watch t.v. in bed. Just use your bed for sleeping. If you don't do other activities in bed, your body won't be used to doing them in bed.

What i would not do, is take any medication with out a doctor telling you to take it.

Good luck

Answer 7

this is a really common problem lots of people face (including myself). it tends to be worse in women (we're naturally always worrying about what we did/didn't/ have to do). these are things that are supposed to help:

1. don't eat anything heavy 2 hours prior to sleep (a glass of warm milk won't hurt though).

2. don't watch tv or movies that are full of action/drama right before bed. these will stimulate your senses, which will make it hard for you to fall asleep after watching them.

3. exercise more often. wears your body out so you tend to want to sleep faster.

4. don't drink coffee or caffienated tea before going to bed.

5. if you go to bed and find it hard to fall asleep, after 20 minutes, get up, go to another room and read a book or do something boring. then try going back to bed again. if still after 20 mins you're awake, repeat.

6. associate your bed with sleep. that means, don't study, watch tv, eat while on your bed during the day.

7. listen to some soft music while trying to sleep.

hope these help!

Answer 8

Warm milk before u go to bed, it works because it makes ur body release chemicals that induce sleep.
But better yet relax:
read something, but don't get to much into it so u don't read for hours, 10 to 20 min max.
lessen to relaxing music
count sheep
Basically leave the problems of the day behind, and GET OFF OF THE COMPUTER
;-)
Good Night

Answer 9

I'm like that too.

No caffeine after 12pm.
Don't exercise heavily within 2 hours of bedtime.
If you do some light stretches or yoga, it may relax you enough enabling you to sleep.

And if it's the thoughts that keep you awake, lay in bed and mentally push them out of your head, rather than letting them take up space.

Answer 10

Try taking a warm body shower before bed or a bath. Don't wash your hair because the dampness will keep you up more. It really helps. Also, stay away from caffeine, and sugary stuff, that amps you up. Even fruit has enough sugar to get you going. Good luck!