Falling asleep at night is easier said than done.
“Ruminating increases arousal, making it much harder to fall asleep.”
The cure?Set up a good bedtime routine, with a few of these wind-down ideas.
Photo: Getty Images
Turn off your screens.
To start the wind-down process, Kennedy recommendsturning off screens at least one hour before bed.
That starts with your phone and computer, and then shutting off the television.
But we need to take time to process or reflect on the day before going to bed."
Try a bedtime snack or drink.
There are somebedtime snacksanddrinksthat can help you feel more relaxed and ready for bed.
Experiment with other soothing activities.
There is no one-size-fits-all method for winding down.
“Take time to unwind in a way that feels good to you,” Kennedy says.
“The bedtime routine should be something that yougetto do, not something that youhaveto do.”
Do what works for you: listen to relaxing music,do some light stretches, or try journaling.
Whatever slows you down, centers you, and makes you satisfied and sleepy.
For some the relaxing effects of deep-pressure stimulation from aweighted blanketwill put them to sleep.
Read until you could’t stay awake.
Though any book will do, she specifically recommends something in the fiction genre.
I suggest reading until you could’t stay awake."
Drift off to the sound of a story.
“Get Sleepy” and “Sleep With Me” are two favorites.
Just the sound ofpink noiseis enough for some to slow down their brain waves for a restful sleep.
Use the 4-7-8 breathing method.
Try it tonight:
Make your bedroom as dark as possible.
As theSleep Foundationexplains, turning off the lights cues your brain that it’s time for sleep.
Turn the temperature down.
If you tend to sleep hot, try acooling pillow.
Trick yourself into sleep with reverse psychology.
Instead, trynotto fall asleep, and then watch sleep come to you.
In psychology, this technique is known as paradoxical intention.
In 2003, researchers asked 34 insomniacs to test it out for 14 nights.
Half the participants were asked to use paradoxical intention, while the other half were not.
Meaning, they fell asleep faster and with less stress.
2017 Dec;13(4):298-309. doi: 10.1183/20734735.009817.
Bedrosian TA, Nelson RJ.Timing of light exposure affects mood and brain circuits.Transl Psychiatry.
2017 Jan 31;7(1):e1017.
