30 Things to Do When You Can’t Sleep

Read a Good Book

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Meditate and Practice Deep Breathing

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Choose a Comfortable Bedding and Change your Bedsheets Often

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Uncomfortable bedding can lead affect your sleep quality. A comfortable mattress can put you in a deep slumber. Change your bedsheets often.

Dim the Lights Before you go to Bed

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Light prevents the secretion of melatonin, the hormone that affects your circadian rhythms and tells your body it’s night time. So dim those bright lights.

Turn off Computer, Phone Screens

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The artificial light emitted by screens can disturb your body’s preparations for sleep by stimulating daytime hormones. Decrease your exposure by putting off TVs, phones, and computers at least an hour before bedtime

Minimize Disturbing Noises

Some outside noises like cars honking or a neighbor’s barking dog cannot be controlled. Use the sound of a bedside fan, a white noise machine to minimize outside noises.

Light candles and Adjust the Room Temperature

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Light scented candles for a good aroma. A dark, cool bedroom environment can lead to a restful sleep. Adjust the thermostat so that your bedroom’s temperature is between 60 and 75°F.

Heavy curtains, or an eye mask can block lights. Charge your phone and laptop outside the bedroom.

Follow a Sleep Routine

Try to stay on the same sleep-wake schedule, even on weekends.

Set Aside Some Worry Time During the Day

Every day, spend about 15 minutes addressing problems, so they don’t come up at night.

Keep Track of Your Sleep Cycle

Record how much and when you sleep, your fatigue levels throughout the day, and any other symptoms you have. Sleep-tracking apps can help with your recording efforts.

Adopt Healthier Habits

A healthy body equates to healthier sleep. Take good care of yourself overall with a balanced diet, exercise, and good stress relief, and you’ll have fewer worries come bedtime.

Avoid Smoking

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Smokers commonly exhibit symptoms of insomnia — possibly because their bodies go into nicotine withdrawal during the night. So quit smoking.

Do Light to Moderate Exercises

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Moderate aerobic activity can improve both sleep quality and quantity. It is advised to exercise at least three hours before bed so your body has enough time to relax before sleep.

Decrease Caffeine Intake

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It’s tempting to reach for coffee when you’re tired after a poor night’s sleep, but drinking caffeine can make it harder for you to fall asleep at night, creating a vicious cycle.

Take a Powerful Nap

A good power nap enhances your creativity and memory! But avoid snoozing any longer than 20 minutes, which could steal time from your nighttime slumber cycles.

Spend Time in Natural Light

Increasing your exposure to natural light during the day promotes a healthy balance of that sleep hormone, melatonin.

Eat Healthy to Sleep Better

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Magnesium and B vitamins are two nutrients that may help enhance your sleep. Foods high in magnesium include, almonds and cashews, spinach. Also eat foods like these, which are rich in B vitamins, leafy green vegetables, legumes etc.

Consume Natural Supplements

Valerian, tryptophan, and melatonin are three supplements used to promote sleep, but their effectiveness varies. You should consult your doctor before taking them.

Prep your Body for Sleep

Don’t jump straight into your bed after your last activity. Give your mind and body a chance to prep for sleep.

Try Listening to Music

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Other relaxation strategies — like yoga, deep breathing, and progressive relaxation — are also effective tools for promoting good sleep.

Avoid Large Meals Late in the Evening

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A big meal before bedtime could leave you too heavy to sleep. Might lead to chest burning like symptom. So eat light specially if it gets late at night.

Don’t Drink Alcohol Right Before Bed

Write a Journal or a Diary

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Try penning down your thoughts in your diary and keep the negative thoughts away. Try to plan your week ahead in advance.

Don’t try to sleep unless you’re really sleepy

Going to bed when you don’t feel ready for sleep is setting yourself up for failure.

DrinkSome Hot Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea calms you down, Credits: pexel

This soothing tea has a calms down your brain. A cup or two could might lead to a better sleep.

Take a warm bath

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Stepping from warm water into that pre-cooled bedroom will cause your body temperature to drop slightly. This temperature change triggers sleepy feelings by slowing down your body’s metabolic activity.

Sip Some Hot Milk

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Do a Few leg exercises

A few easy leg lifts, squats, or your leg exercise of choice can help divert blood flow to your legs and away from your brain. This can calm your mind, making it easier to sleep.

Imagine Yourself Sleeping Blissfully

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Imagine yourself drifting into a peaceful sleep while practicing deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.

Get Yourself Some Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy for Insomnia is a common technique. This therapy typically involves self-monitoring, mental strategies like developing positive thoughts about sleep, and creating an environment that helps you sleep better.