Last Updated on October 9, 2022 by theworldofsleepstaff
You know that sinking feeling you get when you realise it’s already past your bedtime, but you’re still not tired? Or maybe you’ve been up for hours, and all you want to do is fall asleep, but you just can’t seem to do it.
We know how frustrating that is. And we also know that sometimes the day just gets away from us, and we have no idea how to fit in an afternoon nap or an extra hour of shut-eye before bedtime.
Luckily, there are many ways to improve your sleep naturally, without relying on over-the-counter or prescription medications. However, it’s important to note that there are no quick fixes when solving sleeping problems.
You can’t simply take one easy step and expect all of your troubles to disappear overnight. Instead, it takes time and patience to develop good sleeping habits that will help you get the restorative rest you need.
In this article we’ll share some tips for how to sleep better naturally and give you some strategies for making them work for you.
30 Tips On How To Sleep Better at Night Naturally:
1. Develop A Sleep Routine
A sleep routine is one of the best methods to ensure a good night’s rest. When you have a regular schedule, your body knows when it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to wake up, which makes falling asleep easier.
Set aside time for sleep each night and stick with it. It means no more Netflix binges at 11 pm. Instead, make sure you’re in bed before midnight to get as much sleep as possible before your alarm goes off in the morning. The more you practice this routine, the better you’ll get at going to sleep quickly and staying asleep all night.
2. Make Your Room Dark
Darkness helps your body feel like it’s time for rest. If you have trouble sleeping in complete darkness, try using blackout curtains or an eye mask.
Turn off all lights and keep curtains closed during the day to darken your room. If something needs to stay on, use low-wattage bulbs or nightlights instead of bright lights.
3. Use Earplugs Or White Noise Machines
You can’t control the sounds of traffic outside your window or the neighbour’s dog that barks all night. But you can control how you respond to those noises, and that’s where earplugs and white noise machines come in.
Earplugs are silicone or foam plugs that go into your ears to block out all outside noise. White noise machines are speakers that emit a constant sound which can be soothing to some people. Both options can help you sleep better at night by blocking out unwanted noises that might keep you awake.
4. Increase Bright Light Exposure During The Day
Bright light exposure during the day helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s internal clock. It controls when you’re most alert, when you sleep and wake up naturally, and even when you eat and digest food. When light exposure is disrupted, it can throw off your entire schedule, leading to fatigue and irritability, poor concentration, and memory function.
When you expose yourself to bright light during the day, you’re helping your body adjust its internal clock to know when to release melatonin, the sleep hormone, so you can fall asleep at night.
If you have trouble falling asleep at night, try increasing your exposure to bright light during the morning hours, or even better yet, get outside.
5. Read A Book
Reading a book before bed is a great way to wind down after a busy day and get ready for sleep. Research shows that reading can help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and have more pleasant dreams. It’s also been shown to lower stress levels and improve memory.
But don’t just read any book. Finding a book to help you relax and let go of any worries or concerns from the day is the key. If you’re struggling to fall asleep, try reading something that will help you relax and calm your mind instead of something that feels more like work.
6. Listen To Music
While it’s true that listening to music can be distracting, certain types of music can be helpful when it comes to getting some shut-eye. Music with a steady rhythm is excellent for relaxation and helps you drift off into dreamland.
Music therapy has been shown to improve sleep quality, so if you want something relaxing but not too distracting, listen to some soft music with headphones on low volume so as not to disturb others while you’re getting ready for bed.
7. Take Deep Breaths
Focus on your breathing, and ensure you’re inhaling and exhaling deeply. Deep breathing helps bring your heart rate down, which will help your body relax and help you fall asleep more easily. It also helps relieve stress and anxiety, which is another common reason people have trouble sleeping.
There are lots of ways to practice deep breathing. You can practice it while reading, watching TV before bed or even sitting on the couch.
8. Get Moving Before Bedtime
Moving around in the evening before bedtime helps with your sleep pattern by decreasing cortisol, the stress hormone that makes us wake up in the middle of the night.
Even walking around the block will help calm your mind so that when it comes time for bed, it won’t be racing with thoughts of all the things you need to do tomorrow morning before work or school starts again.
9. Turn Off Electronics An Hour Before Bedtime
When it comes to getting the best night’s rest, your phone and computer might be the last things you want to be looking at before bed. Leave your electronics off so there aren’t any disturbances while trying to sleep.
The blue light from your phone, tablet or another electronic device can make it harder for you to fall asleep. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try turning off all electronics at least an hour before bedtime.
10. Don’t Bring Work Into Bed With You
Many bring their work home and spend hours in bed trying to finish all the tasks they didn’t get to during the day. We know it’s hard not to bring work into bed with you.
However, this can make it harder for you to fall asleep. And even if it doesn’t, working in bed is not a great idea. Leaving your devices outside your bedroom is recommended before going to sleep.
11. Don’t Eat Within Three Hours Before Bedtime
If you want to sleep better, don’t eat anything within three hours before bedtime. Eating too close to bedtime can lead to several problems, including indigestion and heartburn, making it difficult for you to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Your body needs time to digest food, and your metabolism needs time to slow down at night, so eating too close to bedtime can make it harder for you to get the rest you need.
12. Avoid Caffeinated Food & Drinks Before Going To Bed
When you eat or drink something with caffeine, it can take up to six hours to entirely leave your system. So if you have a cup of coffee after lunch and then go to bed around 11 pm, that caffeine is still in your system when it’s time for bed, and it could keep you up.
It’s not just coffee. Even chocolate contains caffeine. If you want to fall asleep at night, don’t eat or drink anything with caffeine within a few hours of bed.
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13. Don’t Smoke
Smoking can cause various health problems, and if you’re a smoker you likely have trouble sleeping. It is because nicotine is a stimulant that increases your heart rate and blood pressure and keeps you awake at night.
If you smoke cigarettes, consider quitting so you can sleep better at night and feel better during the day. You’ll be healthier overall and may even be able to stop other habits as well.
14. Reduce Irregular Or Long Daytime Naps
People who have trouble sleeping at night often take naps throughout the day to make up for their poor sleep at night. However, these naps can be counterproductive because they disrupt your circadian rhythm.
When you sleep during the day and wake up at night, it’s hard for your body to adjust to a new pattern. It can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep when you finally get into bed. To avoid this problem, try reducing your daytime naps so that you only nap when necessary and not as a substitute for nighttime slumber.
15. Don’t Drink Alcohol
Drinking alcohol to sleep better at night is a common misconception. Alcohol might make you feel sleepy, but it won’t help you get the actual rest you need. It can even make your sleep worse in the long run.
Alcohol interferes with the quality of your sleep by reducing the amount of time spent in deep sleep and REM sleep. It also makes it more difficult for your body to reach deep sleep. It means that when you wake up feeling tired, it’s not because you didn’t get enough sleep. It’s because you didn’t get good-quality sleep.
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16. Set Your Bedroom Temperature
Your bedroom’s temperature can make all the difference in how you sleep. If your bedroom temperature is too high or too low, you may experience sleep problems such as insomnia or waking up feeling unrested. Your body will respond by having trouble falling asleep or staying awake for extended periods throughout the night, which means less sleep overall.
So what should you do? Set your room’s temperature between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the optimal range for sleeping soundly and waking up feeling refreshed in the morning. It may feel chilly at first, but it’ll feel right once you get used to it.
17. Take A Relaxing Bath Or Shower
It’s all about your brain chemistry. When you’re relaxed, you’re more likely to sleep well. That’s why taking a bath or shower before bed can help. The warm water helps soothe the day’s stressors, preparing your mind for sleep.
If you don’t have time for a full bath or shower, try washing your face and hands in warm water for five minutes or so. You’ll still feel relaxed as you drift off into dreamland.
18. Get A Comfortable Bed, Mattress, & Pillow
While many factors can contribute to sleep issues, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, our environment and sleep habits are a big part of the problem. Sleeping on a comfortable mattress and pillow can make all the difference in getting better rest each night.
You don’t want to wake up with back pain or a sore neck, so it’s essential to ensure that your mattress is comfortable. You should also consider what kind of pillow you use. If you have problems sleeping with a pillow under your head, try using a feather pillow instead. It can help keep your head in place while you sleep so that you don’t wake up in the morning with neck pain or stiffness.
19. Exercise Regularly But Not Before Bedtime
Exercise is a great way to wind down before you go to sleep. But if you exercise too late in the day, it might keep you up longer than it helps you fall asleep.
The key is finding the right time of day to exercise. If you work out in the morning or afternoon, you’ll be able to sleep more soundly at night. But if you work out right before bedtime, your body might take a little longer to calm down and prepare for rest.
20. Try Meditation Or Mindfulness
If you’re having trouble sleeping, you might want to try meditation or mindfulness. Meditation has been shown to improve sleep in many people. It can help you relax and reduce stress, which can both cause or worsen insomnia. It can also help you learn how to quiet your mind and body so that they’re not full of racing thoughts when you go to bed.
Mindfulness is also very effective in helping people sleep better. Mindfulness is a form of meditation where you focus on the present moment, like your breathing or the feel of your body against the bedsheets, and let go of any negative thoughts or emotions that keep you awake.
21. Try Aromatherapy
If you’re having trouble sleeping, don’t reach for a sleeping pill. Instead, try aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils to improve your mood and well-being. Many different oils can help you sleep better, including lavender and chamomile.
- Lavender is a calming scent that helps you relax and unwind at the end of the day. It’s also great for helping you get to sleep faster. Try putting some on your pillow before bedtime or diffusing it in your bedroom as you wind down for the night.
- Chamomile is another calming essential oil that can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. You can add a few drops to your bath water or diffuse it in your bedroom at night to help you feel more relaxed and ready for bedtime.
22. Find a Comfortable Position
When you’re trying to get some sleep, there’s nothing more frustrating than being unable to find a comfortable position. If you fall asleep on your back but wake up with a sore neck, try moving your pillow to support your neck.
If you can’t find a comfortable spot for your legs, try putting a pillow between them and resting on your side.
What’s important is finding a position that works for you and sticking with it.
23. Declutter Your Bedroom
If you’re looking for a quick fix that won’t cost you hundreds of dollars on new pillows or mattresses, try decluttering your bedroom.
A cluttered environment can lead to stress and anxiety, both known causes of sleeplessness. Decluttering helps reduce clutter in mind, too. You’ll feel less stressed about what’s happening around you, making it easier for you to relax and sleep.
24. Do Yoga
Yoga is a great way to relax your body and mind and prepare for sleep. That can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer by reducing stress and anxiety. The key is to find a yoga routine that works for you.
If something about a particular pose or sequence doesn’t appeal to you, then don’t do it. Try something else until you find something that does appeal to you, and then go with it. The best way to start incorporating yoga into your life is by experimenting until it fits into your schedule, lifestyle and preferences.
25. Try Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a natural and holistic method of treating pain and stress, and it can also help you sleep better at night. Acupuncture is a safe and effective way to get a good night’s sleep, and it can be more effective than medications for treating insomnia and other sleep disorders.
Acupuncture helps to regulate the body’s energy flow, which in turn can help to promote better sleep, and better energy throughout the day. The beauty of acupuncture is that it is a non-invasive procedure, meaning no needles are involved. Instead, the practitioner uses fine hair-like needles strategically placed on specific body points to help balance energy flow.
26. Cut Back On Sugar
Sugar significantly contributes to insomnia because it messes with your body’s natural internal clock. When you eat sugary foods late at night, your blood sugar levels spike higher than usual, which stimulates your brain and makes it harder for you to relax into sleep.
So if you’re having trouble sleeping at night, try eating less sugar during the day and avoid refined carbs like white bread or pasta at dinner time.
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27. Eat Foods That Help You Sleep
Foods high in tryptophan can help you get a good night’s sleep by promoting melatonin production in the brain. Tryptophan is an amino acid found in protein-rich foods like eggs and turkey. You can also find it in dairy products like milk.
But if tryptophan isn’t doing the trick for you, try eating foods rich in calcium, like yoghurt or magnesium, like almonds. These nutrients help relax muscles and calm nerves, which makes them perfect bedtime snacks.
28. Sip On Some Relaxing Tea
Try sipping on some relaxing tea before bedtime. Studies have shown that certain types of tea can help people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Some best teas to drink before bedtime include valerian root tea, chamomile tea, lavender tea, lemon balm tea, passionflower tea, and magnolia bark tea.
Drinking a cup of these teas before sleeping could help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up less often during the night than drinking nothing or decaffeinated coffee before bed.
29. Try Stretching
Stretching is a simple and effective way to relax your body and mind, which can help you feel more calm, relaxed, and ready for sleep. It also improves circulation, making your body feel more rejuvenated after a long day of work or exercise.
When we stretch, our body releases endorphins that make us feel good. These endorphins give us the “runner’s high” that many people experience after a workout or other physical activity. When we stretch before bedtime, we release these endorphins while lying in bed, so they can help us relax and fall asleep faster.
30. Write In A Journal
A simple one that can make all the difference is journaling. Journaling helps you healthily process your thoughts and emotions so that you don’t have to keep them bottled up inside your head. When you write down your thoughts, you have a chance to organise them logically and come up with solutions for problems that previously seemed impossible to solve.
When journaling before bed, you’re also allowing yourself to reflect on the day’s events and how they made you feel. It helps prepare your mind for sleep by letting go of any worries or concerns that may keep you awake.
