The majority of us know that going to bed earlier has huge positive effects on our health but it’s not as easy as getting under the covers at 10 pm. At night our brains have a habit of speeding up, reminding us of all the things we need to do.
Not being able to get to sleep is one of the most frustrating things you can experience. All is not lost though. Learning how to go to bed earlier is the key to getting your brain and body in the right mood for sleep.
By understanding how sleep works and the physical processes our bodies go through to sleep, you can take the necessary steps to help your body along. Being mindful of what we need to get the best quality sleep can transform how we feel every day.
Keep reading to discover 9 tips to help you fall asleep and get the rest you need.
1. Switching Off the Online World
We check our phones, tablets, and laptops so often we don’t even know we’re doing it. It’s become second nature to check notifications and spend fifteen minutes scrolling when we were only going to look at the time.
When we look at our devices, our brains are on full, darting from one thing to the next. With so much clamoring for our attention, it’s overwhelming and can even raise our stress levels.
When you make a cut-off time for electronic devices, you’re putting your health first. Switch them off or silence them at least an hour before you go to bed. This will give your brain a chance to calm and your eyes a rest from blue light.
2. Gentle Yoga
It’s been reported that doing yoga before bed can dramatically help people get off to sleep. Not all yoga is the same, so choose gentle yoga poses for your sleep routine.
Yoga links breath with movement and both carry high importance within the practice. Certain yoga poses are particularly relaxing as you can stay in them for extended periods, breathing deeply.
This calm movement and breathwork help relax your body and mind, preparing you for a good night’s sleep.
3. Dimming the Lights
Bright light wakes us up and dim light makes us sleepy. Our natural body rhythms are attuned to light as we’ve evolved to function with the rhythms of daytime and nighttime.
Modern humans tend to keep bright lights on later or look at blue light-emitting devices long after dark. These lights can disrupt our natural sleep cycle and confuse our brains and bodies.
Try dimming the lights an hour before you go to bed and you might be yawning in no time.
4. Preparing Your Bedroom
Is your bedroom a mess? Do you use your floor as a second wardrobe? Having a messy, chaotic bedroom can disrupt your ability to sleep. While it may seem irrelevant when you close your eyes, in the back of your brain, the stress of sleeping in an untidy room might be getting to you.
If you use your bedroom for anything other than sleep and sex, you might find it tricky to fall asleep as well. If you study or work in your bedroom, your mind associates the room with those things, rather than sleep.
Try keeping your room tidy and find somewhere else to study and work.
5. Try CBD
CBD has been all over the media in recent years and its potential benefits for many issues are still being studied. There are promising reports that CBD products can be powerful sleep aids, helping you to relax and fall asleep much faster.
With a potential for reducing insomnia and quelling anxiety, if you struggle to get to sleep, CBD might be exactly what you need. Learn more about CBD as a sleep aid and see if it can turn your nighttimes around.
6. Meditation
Meditation is growing in popularity in the West and regular practice can benefit your sleep in a variety of ways. Meditation has been shown to significantly reduce stress and anxiety, allowing you to quiet your mind instead of staying awake with worries whirring away.
There’s no cost in meditation and you can use free guided meditations online, or simply practice it by yourself. Meditation gets easier the more you do it and the benefits keep increasing.
7. Exercise Outside
Our bodies are designed to move every single day and a lack of physical exercise can contribute to sleep disorders. Even if you simply want a better night’s sleep, engaging in exercise during the day can make all the difference.
Doing exercise in the day not only helps to make you tired come evening, but it can help your body regulate itself. Exercising strenuously close to bedtime isn’t helpful though, so stick to working out in the morning through to early evening.
8. Stick to a Schedule
Even if you consider yourself a wild child, your body’s rhythms certainly don’t. The body has its own circadian rhythm that, when respected, regulates sleep and affects metabolism and other functions.
If you go to bed at different times each night, you might be disrupting your body’s natural rhythms. Disrupting it in this way can lead to stress, weight gain, and sleeplessness.
To go to bed earlier, pick a time and stick to it. You may not be able to fall asleep quickly at first, but you can use the other techniques to help you. Once your brain is used to the new time, it’ll become easier.
9. Write It Down
Have you ever laid in bed, closed your eyes and then suddenly started thinking about your tax return? Or maybe it was that thing your colleague said. Did they mean it to sound harsh? Did you overreact?
From important issues to the most trivial of thoughts, at night our brains become gossips of the highest order. Writing your thoughts and worries down before you go to bed can get them out of your brain.
Keep a notebook by your bed and jot them all down, the silly and the serious. This simple method can help you go to sleep with a calm mind.
How to Go to Bed Earlier and Sleep Well
When you want to go to bed earlier, chances are that you already know you need to sleep more. You may well also need better quality sleep. If you want to know how to go to bed earlier, you’ve got the right attitude.
You can use a combination of these techniques to find out which works for you. Pick your new bedtime and stick to it every night. Help yourself fall asleep through meditation, exercising during the day, and preparing your bedroom. Soon you’ll be sleeping soundly and bouncing out of bed in the morning.
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