Is there anything worse than not being able to sleep? Whether the kids are keeping you up, there’s something playing on your mind, or you just can’t nod off, the idea of ever getting to sleep that night seems impossible. We’re here to help, with a couple of handy tips that might help you get a better night’s sleep.
1. Establish a routine
If possible, try to wake up and go to bed at the same time each day. Eventually, you may train your body to naturally feel tired and then wake up at these times, making it much easier to get to sleep! This might mean cutting down on the lie-ins though…
2. Avoid caffeine before bed
As we all know, coffee is great for waking us up! So therefore, we need to lay off it before bedtime. It stimulates the brain and wakes us up, making it very difficult to wind down and fall asleep. If you absolutely have to get your coffee fix, switch to decaf a couple of hours before you want to go to sleep, or try having a cup of tea instead!
3. Turn screens off
Basically, no online shopping, scrolling through Facebook, or watching Netflix before bed! The light omitted from screens stimulates the brain, meaning it’s really hard to actually wind down and go to sleep. Try activities like reading a book and listening to music instead! If you can’t avoid your phone (we struggle too), turn the brightness right down to limit the amount of light.
4. Don’t drink too much
If you’re thirsty, of course you should have a drink, but try to not over do it. You’ll just keep waking up in the night to go to the toilet! Not only does this wake you up, but physically getting up and walking to the bathroom wakes you up too – you’ll often struggle to fall back asleep!
5. Drown out sudden noise
How annoying is it when there’s a sudden noise from outside in the middle of the night, waking you (and the kids) up? Although there’s not much we can do to prevent it, using something to block out the noise is possible! Try having a fan on throughout the night; the low, quiet noise will drown out and mask any sudden noises without keeping you awake. The fan will keep you cool if you get warm, too!
6. Keep it dark
Especially now we’re approaching Summer and it’s lighter for longer, it’s important to keep your room dark while you sleep. It’s simple: light can wake you up! Opt for some thick curtains or an eye mask to block as much light as possible.
7. No frills
We know they look really pretty, but sometimes having a load of pillows and blankets just isn’t practical. If they often end up on the floor by morning, remove them before you go to sleep. This shows that, in the middle of the night, you aren’t comfortable with them there and you push them away! Plus, getting as comfortable as you can before you go to sleep can help you drift off more easily too.
Even just doing one of these things might help you sleep much better, but obviously it depends on what works best for you! If you have any other tips that help you sleep, please share them in the comments!
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