If you’re an overthinker who actively needs to shut your brain at night in order to get some sleep, we feel you. We have all hit that point at some time in our lives when sleeping just feels like a lot of effort. But worry not. We have cracked the code and are here to rescue you too. With just a few lifestyle changes, you can make your night routine a lot more peaceful and healthy and not have to worry about making an effort to sleep.
So read on and find out the do’s and don’ts you should follow before bedtime every day!
1. Get a sleep app to help you doze off quickly
Before we move on to the lifestyle changes, here is a quick fix that will instantly help you sleep better at night. There are a number of sleeping apps that help you sleep better and quickly. All you need is a few exercises and meditation, which a sleeping app offers you the best, and helps you sleep more peacefully.
Just make sure you have a reliable and consistent internet connection to get the best experience using your sleep app. We recommend a high-speed internet like Windstream. You can call Windstream and get an internet plan that works best for you.
2. Stop eating at least 3 hours before sleeping
Other than apps and technology, your own body can help you sleep better and that too with just a few lifestyle changes, which are pretty easy to make. The first and most important is to have dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime. This is important because your body needs time and focus to digest food and make you feel easy and comfortable as you lie down to sleep.
If you’re munching in bed, your body will be confused as to where it has to focus more and you’ll end up ruining both its tasks. Neither will your food be digested right nor will your brain get a signal to relax your organs and prepare for sleep.
So stop eating 3 hours before your bedtime to optimize your body’s natural processes.
3. Make your bed and clean your room before hopping in your sheets
Whether you’re a naturally clean person or not, all brains work in a similar pattern when it comes to distraction. A messy room is the biggest distraction for your brain because it knows that even if you’re not thinking about cleaning the mess right now, you will have to do it sometime and that task keeps your brain active.
In order to focus your brain on ticking off all to-do tasks, you need to tidy your room and make it look and feel like it’s ready to be slept in. Furthermore, make your bed and do your sheets so you feel comfortable in your bed.
4. Put your devices away half an hour before sleeping
Remember when your mum would switch off the TV at a set time every night and send you off to ‘get ready for bed’? Well, let’s face it, sleeping back then was easy because you were made to spend the last half hour getting ready to sleep. As you physically change into your night clothes, brush your teeth, dim your lights, and slide into bed, your brain is getting signals to start preparing for sleep too. And the biggest trigger that halts this process is blue light.
Screen lights make your brain active again and alter its natural flow into sleep by providing the perfect distraction. Your eyes open up and so does your mind and instead of lulling everything down, your mind and body are activated yet again. So if you’re looking to sleep better and quicker, you need to cut off all devices at least half an hour before bedtime.
5. Read a few pages every night before bed
You must be wondering if you can’t watch your phone before sleeping, how else will you stop yourself from overthinking? Well, we have got you covered there too. Instead of holding your phone in your hand, replace it with a book. Reading is one of the best lifestyle changes you can adopt and there’s definitely no going back once you’re hooked. Reading a good book is like transcending into another universe where your problems and worries do not exist.
So instead of making your brain work double time and stay active, relax it by enjoying an imaginative book that may as well translate into your dreams!
Wrapping It Up
That’s all from our end. Now it is up to you to decide if you want to keep twisting and turning in bed or make a change and fix your sleeping schedule for good. We hope our tips on getting your sleep cycle fixed and improving the quality of your sleep will help you. If you have any more suggestions or things that work for you, do let us know in the comments below!