We are all most likely aware of just how important it is to get adequate sleep and we probably already employ a few of the more common bits of advice before we settle down for the evening. However, there are still people who find it immensely difficult to get a full 7-8 hours of sleep every night, causing them to suffer from a variety of ailments ranging from the mild to the severe. In an effort to promote better sleep everywhere, here are some less common words of wisdom that may help you sleep more soundly.
• Aromatherapy has been around for quite some time and it is said that each individual scent has its own properties.
For you to sleep better, it would make sense to spray your bed linens or room with a scent
that will put you to sleep. In the shower, you can even try using a body wash or soap that smells of lavender or chamomile to help the process along.
• Do not force yourself to sleep when you are already in bed and find that you just can’t relax. If you’ve tossing and turning for the past 30 minutes, get out of bed and get a drink of water or curl up on the couch and read a book. Distract yourself from the fact that you must get to sleep. Make sure not to do anything else on your bed save for sleep since you might associate it with activity and that is a sure recipe for insomnia.
• Most people tend to rely on counting things when they can’t fall asleep but another method may prove to be much more effective. Replay what happened to you in the past day. Start by waking up, having breakfast, getting to the office, answering the
business phone, whatever it is you did that day. If something unpleasant happened, it would be
best to skip that part and move on.
• Temperature has a lot to do with whether or not you rest well so make sure that you adjust the coldness or warmth of your sleeping area. Also, try wearing some socks when you sleep. Researchers from Switzerland have found that when your feet and hands are warmer than the external temperature, your body tells you that it’s time for sleep. As an added bonus, try the socks that keep your feet moisturize so you kill two birds with one stone.
• There are some people who find it difficult to nod off in total silence so if you’re on them, play a bit of music at a low volume. When playing music, don’t go for anything past a certain number of Beats per Minute or vocals for that matter. If typical music doesn’t cut it for you, go on and try some white noise from a machine specifically made for the purpose. You may also try
sounds from nature. If you’re a beach bum at heart, listen to waves crashing on a beach or if
you love rain, go for a thunderstorm. If you’re afraid of animals, steer clear of jungle sounds. One of the newer ways is getting someone to read for you without having an actual human being around. Try finding an audiobook read by someone with a soothing voice and you might be surprised to find that you won’t be able to stay awake past Chapter 2.
• We were told as children that eating right before bedtime would give us tummy aches or nightmares but according to some people in the medical field, having a tiny bit to eat before sleeping will help, especially if your stomach has been empty for some four hours. Skip anything with caffeine and alcohol for best results.