How many times have you been in bed and stared up at the ceiling wishing you could fall asleep? Wasn’t it earlier in your day when you wanted to just close your eyes and fall asleep because you were so tired? Now you’re laying there and every thought is racing through your brain and you are nowhere near falling asleep. Insomnia is a condition that affects almost everyone at some point in their lives. Many people have written books on the topic of sleep and there are varying opinions on the best ways to get to sleep. Thankfully, I’ve condensed some of the best methods of achieving sleep that are scientifically proven for you!
10 Bio-Hacks for Better Sleep
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Quiet time – 1-2 hours before bed you need to start winding down. Too many times we are rushing through our day and don’t get a chance to properly wind down before we go to bed. When we are rushing we are releasing different hormones in our body that prevent sleep. Winding down properly means relaxing. Feel free to watch a quick show on tv 2 hours before bed but not 1 hour before sleep as you’ll see why with tip #2
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Avoid blue screens – T.V.’s and phones/tablets/computers all emit a blue light that stimulates a portion of the brain that signals that it’s still time to stay awake. Make sure 1 hour before bed time you turn off all tech devices to avoid this blue light. This signals to the brain that it’s time for sleep.
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Have a warm non caffeinated drink or a hot bath – Having a hot tea or a hot bath actually helps to lower body temperature by opening up blood vessels and dissipating heat through the skin. Lowering your body temperature is another signal to the brain that you are ready for sleep.
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Read 1 hour before bed – Connected to tip 1 and 2 because it helps you wind down and takes your mind off the stress of life and it helps you avoid blue screens. Reading before bed is a great way to quiet your mind and prep for sleep.
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Meditation/Prayer – Spend some time on quieting the soul. Scientifically proven to allow you to get deeper sleep as it helps the brain waves enter a different pattern that is conducive to sleep.
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Try white noise – White noise is that background noise that helps to distract the mind. Studies that have been done in deprivation chambers where there is no sound have shown that sleep is almost impossible to achieve. Background noise is crucial for a good sleep.
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Go to bed at a consistent time every night – When you go to bed at the same time every night your body starts to find a rhythm and naturally will prep for sleep as your bed time approaches. Make sure you also wake up at the same time every day to help establish that rhythm.
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Avoid eating 3 hours before bedtime – Eating will cause the body to spend energy of digesting food and will signal to the brain it’s not time to sleep yet.
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Avoid caffeine – Caffeine is a stimulant and can stay in the body for many hours after you ingest it. Ideally, avoid caffeine after 12pm to make sure it is completely out of your system when it comes to bedtime.
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Avoid long naps – If you nap through the day make sure you nap 20 mins or less. Sleeping longer will activate sleep patterns and will cause you to have trouble entering those again within 12 hours.
