Does anyone else wish they had a time machine? We do because that means we could go back to the days when we were kids, and when we didn’t look like walking zombies. Instead of crying every time we were put down for a nap, we would take advantage of every sweet second our parents wanted us to sleep – and perhaps that would mean our dark circles would magically disappear. Yes, sleeping as an adult seems simple enough, but sometimes it’s not quite as easy as it sounds. Here’s what to do when you’re having trouble falling asleep.
Make sure you’re switched off
In today’s day and age, we’re surrounded by electronic devices that all have their own artificial light sources. While it may seem like fun to relax and unwind by checking out the latest memes on your phone, this could actually be stopping you from falling asleep. That’s because the light from these devices tricks the body into thinking it’s daytime. This starts the natural waking process, even though it’s dark outside and you really, really want to go to sleep. To avoid this, give yourself 30 minutes to switch off before you want to sleep. Put your phone away, turn your iPad off, and switch your television off.
Get up and do something
If you struggle to fall asleep, what do you do to combat this? Do you simply lay in your bed and hope that you’ll magically catch some Zs? Experts suggest that this could actually be having the opposite effect because stewing on your sleeplessness while still lying in bed can create an unhealthy link between the two. Next time you’re lying awake for 20 minutes or longer, get up out of bed and do something. This could be something as simple as having a warm glass of milk, or getting into the comfiest chair and reading for half an hour.
Avoid caffeine before bed
There’s a reason so many people have to have coffee in the morning before talking to anyone, and that’s because caffeine is a stimulant that wakes you up. So, why are you having caffeine before bed? With caffeine in your body, you will find it incredibly hard to fall asleep, and you may find yourself tossing and turning for hours on end. To fall asleep as quickly as possible, you need to avoid caffeine for at least a few hours.
Create the perfect environment
Nobody wants to fall asleep in a bright and noisy environment, which means that you have to create the perfect environment to fully appreciate your snooze. We all have our preferences, but a common suggestion is that your room needs to be as dark and as quiet as possible. However, some people struggle to sleep in complete silence, so you may want to invest in a white noise machine or an album of whale noises!
Do you struggle to fall asleep? Catching enough Zs doesn’t have to be difficult, and thankfully the solutions are pretty darn simple.
