You thought you were ready to fall asleep, but your mind had different plans? Did going through some memories, overthinking about all the things you would, could, or should have done, become an inevitable part of your sleep routine? If that is the case, you are not alone, because, unfortunately, millions of Americans are sleep-deprived due to the inability to quiet their racing mind.
Overthinking and anxiety can easily mess up your sleep quality and even trigger certain sleep disorders. Many people with one of these disorders claim that their sleep problems started because they were unable to calm their mind and get away from anxious thoughts. Our brain collects thousands of different pieces of information each day, and going through them instead of snoozing is not the best idea as it won’t help you fall asleep.
Luckily, there are ways to prevent the development of sleep disorders and to calm down your racing thoughts. So, if you are looking for a way to sleep more soundly, prepare to make some changes to your lifestyle and follow our recommendations.
Ditch Your Smartphone
It sounds like such a cliche, but staring at your smartphone while lying in bed hinders your ability to fall asleep. It’s the same with laptops, tablets, or tv, because exposure to screen light reduces the production of melatonin, tricking our brain into thinking it is still daytime. You may be enjoying watching your favorite Netflix show before bed, but blue light also stimulates our brain instead of helping it unwind. So, try not to use these devices at least 30 minutes prior to your bedtime.
Make Time for Daily Recap
If you have the need to go through some things, make plans, and similar, spend 15 to 20 minutes every day before going to bed to write it all down. It can be in the form of a journal in which you can write your worries, thoughts, wishes, etc. By doing so, you will clear your mind before bedtime.
Learn Some Breathing Techniques
When we are getting ready to fall asleep, our heart rate should slow down. Feeling anxious increases your heart rate which may prevent you from catching those precious ZZZs. An easy way to slow down your heart rate and relax is through breathing exercises. One of the most popular exercises is called 4-7-8, and there are even apps you can download for free to make sure you are doing it correctly.
Create a Sleep-Inducing Routine
Sleeping is one of our basic needs, just like breathing, but sometimes it does not occur so easily. We are so used to living life in the fast lane that we often forget to slow down and relax. To unwind before bed, we recommend creating a 30-minute bedtime routine which should include relaxing activities such as reading, listening to music, putting on a face mask, or anything else that works for you. Turn it into a habit, and your body will quickly start to follow.
Be Grateful Every Day
Always focusing on negative things and worrying stresses out our mind and keeps us awake at night. By switching your attention to more positive thoughts, you can improve your sleep. An easy way to do this is through journaling. Every evening, you should write down 3 to 5 things you are grateful for that day.
Stick to Your Sleep Schedule
Our bodies love routines, and your body will quickly adjust to any you create, so an easy way to sleep better is to practice good sleep hygiene and go to bed at approximately the same time every day. The same goes for your wake up time in the morning – it should always be roughly the same. You should try sticking to this routine even on weekends and holidays.
Relax Your Muscles
Besides our minds, our muscles need relaxation too. One way to relieve the tension in our muscles is to practice progressive muscle relaxation in bed. When you breathe in, tense one group of muscles, and then relax them while breathing out. If you want to make sure you are doing it properly, plenty of audio guides are available that will help you go through different groups of muscles in a particular order and timing.
The Bottom Line
If your racing mind is giving a grey tone to your under-eye area, you know it is time to start making changes, and no, we are not talking about a new concealer or eye de-puffer, we are talking about the only right way to do it, and that is through positive thinking and changing your sleep habits. These 7 tricks we suggest seem very simple, but they can drastically improve your sleep, so make sure you try them out, and you will finally start sleeping like a log!
Photo Credits
Relax Racing Mind – unsplash
Sleep Inducing Routine – unsplash
Guest Author Bio
Selena Thomas
Selena Thomas is a content writer who loves sharing tips on healthy lifestyles. A writer by day and a reader by night, she’s fond of writing articles that can help people in improving both physical and mental health. Also, she loves traveling and inspires people on her blogs.
Blog / Website: countingsheep.net
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