The land of nod – These pre-sleep rituals may help you get a better night’s rest
Suffering from a lack of sleep can be devastating and effect your day-to-day life. Not only is it frustrating, but it can sap your energy, spoil your mood, and make everything feel a hundred times harder. What’s worse is that lying in bed at night trying desperately to sleep only to find yourself spiraling with your thoughts is a lonely feeling indeed.
That said, there is much that you can do to try and alleviate the issue. In fact, with a simple change-up of your evening routine, it might just be the remedy you’ve been looking for. Many people assume that they have insomnia when in reality, the likelihood is that they’ve simply picked up some bad pre-sleep habits along the way. Here’s what you need to know…
1. Pick a set bedtime and try to stick to it
Your brain will begin winding down a few hours before sleep, however, if you do not have a regular bedtime it can be confusing for your body. In order to have the most effective sleep-wake cycle, you should try to pick a set bedtime and then stick to it – even on the weekends. Doing so will train your brain to naturally feel tired when your regular bedtime approaches. [Source]
2. Put the devices down!
All of your devices emit strong blue lights that trick your brain into thinking it’s the daytime. So, when you are sitting scrolling through Facebook for an hour in bed and wondering why you don’t feel tired, it’s likely because your brain is suppressing melatonin production. As part of your pre-sleep ritual, you should leave your devices outside, or at least turn them off when you get into bed. [Source]
3. Have a nice, warm bath
As your body prepares for sleep your core body temperature begins to drop. Studies have found that taking a warm bath about an hour before bed can mimic those changes in your body temperature, thus helping you to feel suitably sleepy. Not only that, but having a bath is a nice way to relax and unwind after a stressful day. You can listen to music, put on a podcast, or even read a book. [Source]
4. Masturbate
Who said your pre-sleep ritual had to be boring? That’s right, masturbating before bed can genuinely help your body prepare for sleep. This is because when you orgasm, your body releases a cocktail of chemicals, such as oxytocin, serotonin, vasopressin, and prolactin – all of which help prepare the body for rest. If you want sleep to come easier, buy some adult toys online and add a little solo-play into the pre-sleep routine. [Source]
5. Stretch and breathe / practice meditation
Whether you want to try some regular stretch exercises, commit to a daily yoga routine, or practice meditation before bed, these breathing exercises are amazing at relieving both physical and mental tension in the body and helping you to unwind. Meditation in particular can be helpful as it will enable you to sift through your thoughts and manage your emotions – rather than lay in bed awake at night spiralling.
Conclusion
There are many things you can do to help promote a healthier sleeping habit: getting regular exercise, eating a balanced diet (and refraining from eating too much, too close to your bedtime), listening to soothing music or white noise, creating a more relaxed bedroom environment, and so much more.
Experiment and try different techniques to help you get into a better sleeping pattern. We hope that you have found this article helpful and wish you the best. Sweet dreams!