When we’ve had a full on day, there is nothing more appealing than climbing into bed and falling into a deep and restful sleep. However, this isn’t always the case and we can often find ourselves staring at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep with our mind whirring from the day. Sleep expert, Dr Nerina Ramlakhan shares her tips to not only fall asleep fast, but make sure the sleep you do get is deep and restorative.
Empty the mental filing cabinets
Going to bed with the worries of the day in your mind won’t help you get to sleep. Try using a pen and paper and write a list of what needs to be done tomorrow to let go of the day. The best time to write this list is just before leaving work, or a few hours before bedtime, leaving any work worries behind you.
Create a sleep sanctuary
If sights, sounds and smells are key for you to get a good night’s sleep, you might want to reconsider the layout of your bedroom. You should be sleeping in a place of rest and relaxation so take the first step to remove all clutter and have a tidy up. Make sure work, the laundry basket or children’s toys are firmly out of sight, otherwise, if these are the last things to see at night, it might be harder to leave the day behind and enter deep sleep.
White noise
If you’re a sensitive sleeper, live in a noisy environment or if the sounds of your own thoughts keep you awake at night, then you may benefit from having some form of white noise in your bedroom. White noise is a bland, continuous noise that can block external sounds or changes in your daily environment. If even the slightest sound can wake you up at night, white noise might be the option for you.
Stop measuring
We’ve all done it, but checking the time in the night can be detrimental to the quality of your sleep. It is linked to our need to keep up and manage life, when in reality there is so much in life that we really aren’t in control of. Constantly worrying “Is that really the time?” and “How many hours before I need to wake up?” is completely the opposite of what is needed for deep, healing sleep.
Will you be trying any of these tips to help you get to sleep faster? Let us know on our Facebook and Twitter pages!
