Having Insomnia? How to Sleep Better Without Sleeping Pills
One top-tier wellness tip that I’ve learned over 5 years is…
Getting enough good night’s sleep.
Many procrastinate their sleep time every night or maybe reduce the hours just so they can get work done, or cram in the last few hours of Netflix before the next dreaded work day starts.
The next day, you might feel groggy and unable to focus at work. You might end up finishing your work later and unwinding even later. And the cycle repeats.
But.. do you actually feel productive and well-rested every day?
When you don’t get the right amount of high-quality sleep…
You get moody. You’re easily irritated.
You start putting on extra weight despite not eating much, and you start having a goldfish memory.
Do you know that not getting enough sleep increases your risk of getting chronic diseases?
Hustle culture is not a cool personality trait and in fact, can be really dangerous to your health.
Give your body and mind the rest they deserve.
Here are some easy and natural things you can incorporate into your daily routine to give yourself better sleep!
TL;DR: The ‘Fall (And Stay) Asleep Better’ Checklist
a) Use cotten sheets to keep your body temperature cool at night
Creating your sanctuary also means that your bed should be as comfortable as possible. Use cotton bedding for the cooling effect – and as you relax, your body temperature will drop.
Memory foam pillows support your head, shoulder and posture. Sometimes, when you don’t sleep in the most comfortable position because of your pillow, you might end up waking up tired! Memory foam pillows are personally a game-changer for me.
c) Block out light using blackout curtains
When your bed is as comfortable as possible, be sure to block any noises or lights that can disturb you from falling into slumber. Personally, I can’t stand any rays of light entering my room before I sleep. That’s why I have these blackout curtains!
They don’t only block lights, they block sounds too (to an extent). I truly recommend you to have these for a better good night’s sleep. These Sun Zero curtains are pretty good for their price!
Step 2: Relax your body and mind with natural relaxants
Trust me, a sanctuary alone sometimes can’t help you fall asleep in under 5 minutes. That’s why 1-2 hours before sleeping I would start ‘preparing’ myself for bed.
This might sound weird, but preparing yourself for bed is simply relaxing your mind and body naturally.
In order to fall and stay asleep, your body and brain need to relax.
a) Prepare your body for sleep with relaxing scents
My doctor once shared that lavender has a naturally relaxing effect on our brains.
Taking relaxing teas helps me sleep better as well. It took me about 3 days of making a habit of drinking tea before bed and I could already feel the progress!
There is also L-Tryptophan — which has relaxing effects on your body and brain too. This compound can be found in honey.
Although these supplements are natural, do consult a medical practitioner to ensure that these are suitable and effective for your body to get better and deeper sleep.
Did you know that our body thrives in routines, patterns, and cycles?
Our body is an amazing harmony of many complex systems. One of which is our internal body clock a.k.a the sleep-wake cycle. It is heavily driven by hormones that are influenced by our daily habits.
In order to strengthen this cycle and improve your quality of sleep, be sure to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
Yes. Every day.
This habit will automatically cue our brain to sleep and wake up at certain times. Which will make up sleep easier and wake up feeling more energised.
Another way to strengthen this is to make sure you are exposed to the sun in the mornings and evenings.
Our hormones are highly influenced by sunlight. There’s a deeper science behind it but basically, the sun tells our brain that it’s in the morning and the body will be more energised. And during evenings, your body would know that the day is ending and it will ease and relax accordingly.
There you go – three essential steps to a better and deeper sleep!
It took me years of restless nights to understand how important it is to take your sleeping seriously. After I addressed this issue, my health improved significantly.
Do you know any other sleeping hacks? Let me know in the comments!
Alya Maisarah: Alya is a Multiple Sclerosis survivor who is a big advocate for taking care of your health and wellness realistically. Now, she is on a mission to write about health-related topics so people can relate and stay healthy. She is the happiest when with her family, friends and cats!
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