Even though you may want to get a good sleep at night, every night, that doesn't always mean that it's easy to just do. While some may only struggle with falling asleep on occasion, others may find falling asleep at night to be a regular difficulty. The good news is, though, that it isn't something that you have to keep struggling with. There can be many ways to fall asleep fast, and to improve your overall sleep quality, as well. If you're looking for ways to help you nod off at night, here are some things to try.
Get In a Good Workout During the Day
How well you sleep at night can often be connected to what you do during the day. This can be particularly true when it comes to your activity levels and the kinds of exercise that you do. When you work out, it helps balance your hormones, including hormones that help you fall into a deep, restful sleep at night. Not only that, but being more active during the day naturally helps you to feel more tired at night. Because of this, it can also be a good idea to avoid napping throughout the day, as it can lead to you being less tired at night. So, whether you like to weight lift or jog, or plan to look at pool designs in Pensacola so you can swim laps in your backyard, getting in some exercise every day can be a great way to help improve sleep quality.
Try Sleep Promoting Supplements
Trying out a supplement can be another simple way to start improving your sleep as well. Not only does having enough nutrients and minerals help you to sleep better, but there are many herbs that can help balance hormones and promote restfulness as well. One great type of supplement for this is a supplement with adaptogens in it. Adaptogens are kinds of herbs that help support your body's ability to manage and deal with stress. Adaptogens aren't just helpful for reducing stress or helping you sleep, but they can also be great for improving mood, energy levels, and libido. Some popular adaptogens include holy basil, maca root, reishi mushroom and ashwagandha.
Eat the Right Diet
Along with sleep promoting supplements, improving your diet can also be an effective way to improve your sleep quality. What some may not realize is that a diet high in sugars and refined carbs can cause inflammation within the body. Your body then has to do extra work to fight and heal this inflammation, which can in turn make it more difficult to sleep at night. By cutting down on junk foods like chips, white bread, candy and baked sweets, you can help your body to heal itself and sleep more easily. Additionally, there are many nutrients and minerals like magnesium, for example, that play a role in your ability to sleep well. By eating a balanced diet full of different kinds of fruits and vegetables, as well as lean meats you can help ensure that you're getting the range of nutrients you need to support your sleep.
Nix Caffeine and Alcohol
Along with working to eat a more balanced diet, cutting down on caffeine and alcohol can be an essential part of changing your sleep quality for the better. While caffeine, whether it's a cup of coffee or an energy drink or soda can be great for waking you up in the morning, because it stimulates the nervous system, it can also keep you awake at night as well. Also, what some may not realize is that caffeine can stay active within their system for up to several hours after it's consumed. By cutting out caffeine, or at least limiting it to the morning, you can help avoid sleep issues.
Alcohol is another big culprit when it comes to disrupting sleep. Even though some may use alcohol as a way to help themselves fall asleep, the reality is that it can actually have a negative impact on sleep cycles. While it's possible to fall asleep easily after drinking, it can actually disrupt sleep cycles, which means that you will likely wake up frequently throughout the night, or only fall into a light, superficial sleep. One or two drinks a night may not have a noticeable impact on your ability to sleep, but more than that could prevent you from getting quality shut eye.
Try Herbal Teas
Instead of drinking caffeinated drinks or alcohol, opting for herbal teas can be a great way to promote good rest. This is because many herbal teas have a calming effect on the nervous system, which then makes it easier to unwind at night. Beyond that, some teas may even be able to help induce sleep. If you're looking for some good bedtime teas, chamomile is one of the most popular for promoting rest, as is lavender. Passionflower, lemon balm and valerian root are all also great for promoting restfulness and relaxing before bed, too.
Make Sure Your Bedroom Is Comfortable
Something else that has a big impact on how well you're able to sleep at night is the environment that you're sleeping in. If you have a bedroom that is full of light and noise, and is hot, it can be hard to sleep even if you're doing everything else right. Turning down the temperature in your room before bed can help you sleep more deeply. Additionally, doing things to reduce light and noise, like trying blackout blinds or thick drapes can be helpful as well.
Follow Your Body's Natural Rhythms
One reason why many struggle to sleep well is that they don't follow their body's natural rhythms. Your body's rhythms, called circadian rhythms, have a lot to do with when you feel tired. If you don't follow them, you may find yourself feeling tired when you need to be awake, and then laying awake in bed at night when you really just want to sleep. One good way to stay in tune with them is to stick to a sleeping schedule. The more that you get up and go to bed at the same time, the more trained your body will be to get up and to rest at those times.
Some Final Thoughts
While most may want to get good sleep at night, getting deep restful sleep is not a reality for many. Whether it's due to a poor diet, a lack of exercise, or an irregular schedule, there can be many things that make it hard to nod off at night. The good news is, though, that there are things you can do, from working out regularly to eating a balanced diet and improving your sleeping environment that can make good sleep a reality.
About The Author
stash member Vincent Stokes
Vincent Stokes is an outdoor enthusiast and an experienced world traveler. He also writes writes for the National Parks and works to promote pride in homegrown travel destinations. (@TravelingGlobal)