We all have been at home for the last 5 months and it has made a lot of changes to our lives. Whether it is blurring the boundaries between our work and personal lives or bringing our colleagues a little closer or may be having longer and more frequent calls with office people. One major change that has definitely come in our lives is, it has definitely disturbed out sleeping pattern.
Consider its 2 am and you have to wake up at 6 in morning and be ready with your laptop and daily job list by 9.30 am for work. You force your eyes in staying shut and try to focus on your breathing.
After what feels like an hour, you can’t help but check your phone. 2:30 am already. Now you start panicking and tell yourself not to panic and go back to focus-on-breathing exercise.
And before you know, it’s 3 am, then 4 am and then 5am. Now you drag your feet out of the bed, knowing you’re not gonna sleep anymore anyway. And then just after you’ve gotten ready to start your day, you find yourself dozing through the day like a dream.
Every insomniac’s all too familiar experience is more or less the same. Tried and tested all? Not sure if anything’s gonna work anymore?
Well, not all the hope is lost if you keep trying- or maybe STOP trying so hard. Although you might feel like there’s no remedy out there for this painful nightmare, following these tips might really help.
Quit caffeine for better sleeping pattern
I know, this tip is so widely known and for such a long time that it might as well be an urban legend. But believe me, although you can’t depend solely on this for a good sleep, this is something you can not escape.
Some of you might have already stopped caffeine intake and could be surviving on morning green tea. But here’s the bad news- as less it might be there, green tea still has some caffeine.
So if you have severe insomnia, you can’t afford to have even that teeny-tiny amount of caffeine in your system. Trust me, quit caffeine once and for all. Avoid it like a plague and am sure better nights are waiting ahead.
Do Some Exercise
Alright, so you might already be a fitness freak who hits gym regularly but do this- a little exercise at night. It doesn’t have to be a full blown, sweat-inducing, nerve wrecking exercise- even a little bit of walking would do. Pay attention to the time- you might wanna do this night-time exercise after dinner and a few hours before you are going to hit the mattress.
A little bit of post-dinner exercise will help in improving digestion and that in turn will induce a better sleep. And yes- a healthy gut can solve even your sleeping issues. As it turns out, a bit of walking can be very calming and help your body relax and aid digestion. If your body isn’t working on digesting the food- it is in a more relaxed state and able to rest better.
Plus, a post-dinner walk will keep that stubborn belly fat away.
Avoid Late Night Snacks Before Sleeping
This point again comes down to digestion. If you eat snacks late at night, you have given some work to your body already. And again now, what if you are extremely hungry? It’ll be better to have a glass of turmeric milk which will not only make you full, but also aid in sleep.
Now, in case you are lactose intolerant or, are not allowed dairy products? You can always munch on one or two dates and along with some soothing herbal drink. It’s always better to avoid staying up too late at night when you end up getting hungry. Follow the signs your body is giving you. If you are hungry already, it means either you aren’t having enough dinner or are up way past your bedtime already. And I’m not talking about those sleepless nights, but even in general. Try not staying up till late.
De-Stress with Herbal Tea and a Book
Herbal detoxification effects of chamomile and lavender can work wonders for your sleeping ritual. Similarly, there are some other caffeine free herbal teas that are made just for stress relief. Chamomile tea can reduce stress level in your body and help you relax. This can, in turn, help you sleep better.
Remember, stress is the biggest culprit in disturbing your sleeping pattern. So it’s better to relax. And don’t force the relaxation- let it come to you. Your job is not to force and torture yourself in focusing on your breath- that’s not relaxation, it’s effort. Reading a book might be a really good idea if you want to relax yourself. So just snuggle up in your warm bed with a cup of chamomile tea and a good book and let them do their work.
Also, try choosing a book which is good and a bit slow going- remember how you fell asleep while reading history? Ahaaan. Now you know what I’m talking about. So bedtime reading is something you must include in your routine.
Meditation / Yog Nidra
Meditation can be really helpful in inducing sleep. Now you might be thinking- wasn’t that what I did while trying to focus on my breathing? I’m sorry, but probably not in the right way. Meditation isn’t an easy thing that you master in the first go. The problem lies in the fact that you are so absorbed in trying to check if sleep is on it’s way or not, that you are no longer completely in meditation.
So, you have to try, but without expecting it to help you sleep right away. Focus on your breathing- without thinking what time it must be. And to make it easier, it’s important that you need to be easy on yourself first. It’s a new thing and it’s gonna take time. So if you find yourself looking at the clock again and again, it’s okay. Just bring your attention back to breathing again.
It’s all about practice. Just go easy. Remember, your ultimate goal is to distress completely. That’s the key to a good night’s sleep.
And In The End…
Know when to seek a therapist. Sleeping is very important part of your life to keep it going strong. So if all these things aren’t working out great for you, you should seek the help of a professional. And remember, there is not a single, one shot thing that works. You got to be patient and a little disciplined. Follow all these tips for a couple of months and you are sure to see changes. You have to be consistent with each and every small thing that helps you in sleeping through the night- all while making sure you are distressing.
So goodnight and sleep well!
You May Also Read: Are Meditation Apps Useful?