Rose here. Tonight I want to talk about how to fall asleep fast. Do you have a hard time falling asleep? Are you tossing and turning thinking about all the things you have to do? Stress is the number one reason why people cant relax and fall asleep. There are ways you can turn off your mind and learn how to fall asleep fast.
The number one thing to do before you go to bed is set up a nightly routine. A nightly routine will allow you to get into a mind set to fall asleep. Unwind in a warm bath filled with chamomile bath salts. Chamomile has been know to help those with insomnia. It makes not only a wonderful bath but a tea as well. If you don’t like tea have a warm glass of milk, but don’t drink too much before you go to bed or you will be getting up in the middle of the night to go.
Try some PearlyDreams toothpaste which has natural sleep aid ingredients for instance passion flower extract, valerian, Melatonin and balm mint all known to have relaxing properties that absorb into your system. Melatonin is naturally produced in your pineal gland and will regulate your sleep cycle. Some sleeping disorders are caused just because people dont produce enough melatonin. There are a few reason why this happens; one as you age melatonin decreases and two if you sleep with a light in your room your body will not produce enough. So if you want to fall asleep fast…lights out.
Babies crying, horn blaring, dogs barking…these are just some of the external noises that keep you awake at night. Or if you are like me, the birds are chirping. When you are traveling it is just as hard to soundproof your room due to kids running up and down the halls, people stomping over head or door slamming. The best way to drown out these noises other than wearing ear plugs is sleep music, white noise or binaural sound waves. Binaural sound waves influence the brain in more subtle ways through the entrainment of brainwaves and can be used to produce relaxation and other health benefits such as pain relief. You can purchase binaural sound wave cds or you can use a fan or air conditioner which also work with external noises.
Have you ever tried a self-hypnotic tape for relaxation which uses repetitive suggestions, subliminal messages and deep breathing? Deep breathing is a great way to get you to relax because is slows down your heart rate. Take a deep breath until you see your entire torso expand and hold it for 10 seconds. Exhale counting backwards from 8-1, repeat 2 more times. Repetitive suggestions include tightening areas of your body while you are taking a deep breathe. Keep the area tense for ten seconds. As you exhale slowly release the tension. A self-hypnotic tape or CD is good for two reasons; one it helps you relax and two it keeps your mind off stressful matters allowing you to fall asleep faster. Not a fan of hypnosis? Then meditation will also help you to fall asleep by lowering your heart rate. Concentrate on a single word and repeat it over and over matching your breathing pattern or heart beat. Gradually say the word slower and slower and eventually you will fall asleep.
Other ideas to get ready for sleep are; reading, writing, knitting (does anyone knit anymore?) or anything that will keep your mind off of work or family issues. Get out of your day or work clothes and find some comfy pajamas to put on. I find that a nightgown can be restrictive and has a terrible habit of riding up during the night. Getting into a made bed with clean sheet is always a plus especially for those that like to sleep in the nude. Make it a habit to make your bed in the morning.
Lets talk about your mattress..do you feel the coils, sink to the middle and wake up will a back ache? You want a new mattress but due to the economy it doesn’t fit into your budget. A memory foam mattress pad topper with a terry cloth cover will allow even distribution of your weight by alleviating your pressure points so you wake up without aches or pains. A common complaint about a memory foam mattress pad topper is that it holds in body heat and become too soft. A terry cloth cover eliminates that problem by allowing air to flow between you and the mattress keeping you cooler. It is recommended to keep your room temperature 65 or less, don’t pile on the blankets and keep the pets off the bed. They not only will add additional heat, they also disturb your sleep. Your bed is a haven used only for sleep and sex. No TV, No food and No video games in your bed. How can you sleep with crumbs?
Now you are ready to go to bed, you close your eyes and a memory of a dream flashes in your mind. Did you know that when you close your eyes at night your brain will recall the last dream you had which was in the morning when you were half asleep and half awake. This conscious dreams are known as lucid dreams. Recalling lucid dreams and remembering them when you go to bed helps your subconscious mind slip off to sleep. You may want to start a dream or sleep journal to remember your dreams, your nightly routine, what helped you fall asleep and what didn’t. If you feel your inability to fall asleep and stay asleep is causing you to have health issues, please contact your doctor. He may have you see a sleep specialist for an over night sleep study to determine your sleep disorder.
Lastly if you are like me you love to nap and stay up late and sometimes find yourself up until 3 or 4 in the morning, getting into a terrible sleeping pattern. If you are going to nap, try to have a power nap of 15 or 20 minutes. Not only should you limit your nap time you should keep a bedtime schedule. Make time for your nightly routine and get to bed at a decent hour to get the amount of sleep you need and wake up feeling fresh and rested. This is Off the Kuff with the Kuffner Twins Rose and Kitty