Even if you abstain from caffeine late in the day and stop looking through Instagram an hour before bedtime, there will be nights when falling asleep is impossible. What are you meant to do when you've tossed and turned, adjusted and readjusted your pillow, checked the time again, and complained enough about your lack of sleep to address the problem? Many people in today's fast-paced world have the belief that adequate sleepers fall asleep quickly. When sleep onset is slow, this attitude can cause anxiety, which makes falling asleep even more difficult. Scientists claim lying in bed for about 10 to 20 minutes before falling asleep is "absolutely normal." Being able to doze off in a matter of seconds is not necessarily an indication of a good sleeper. In fact, it could be a sign of a sleeping issue. With that in mind, we posed the question to sleep experts: What can we do when we can't sleep?
Pick Something to Focus on
Remember when people told you to count sheep? Focusing on a specific task, such as filling a treasure box or counting sheep, may be just what you need to fall asleep. Center your attention on your breathing or repeat mantras in your head until you enter a slumber.
Manage Your Temperature
What kind of sleeping environment do you find more comfortable? It doesn’t matter if you don't have entire control over your home's cooling and heating system, because you can control the temperature of your body. So, if you are sweating, bring the fan closer to you, and if you are shivering, wrap yourself with extra blankets. The best possible sleeping temperature, according to scientific studies, is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.
Read a Book
It is recommended that you read before bedtime, but not on your phone or Kindle, a real paperback book. Get in bed and use the dim light of your bedside table lamp to read until your eyes feel heavy.
Put Some Chill Music on
Unless it’s your way to relax, don’t listen to a heavy metal album or play bops that you can’t help but sing to. Choosing some acoustic, mellow music, preferably percussion, can be just the thing to make you fall asleep.
Relax your body
There are several relaxation exercises that you can try to fall asleep. While relaxing each body part, concentrate on every muscle, beginning with your toes, and and move up until you reach your arms, hands, neck and head. While you do this, tell yourself how tired each part is and your mind will start to make it real. Soon enough you will feel heavy and drowsy.
Relax your body
There are several relaxation exercises that you can try to fall asleep. While relaxing each body part, concentrate on every muscle, beginning with your toes, and and move up until you reach your arms, hands, neck and head. While you do this, tell yourself how tired each part is and your mind will start to make it real. Soon enough you will feel heavy and drowsy.
Try an Audiobook or a Podcast
Put your favorite podcast or an audiobook that isn't action-packed, and allow the calming voices soothe your mind. It's not about remembering details of the story; it's about the voices and narratives being somewhat of a lullaby. A lot of insomniacs listen to the Sleep With Me podcast, which is designed to bore you to sleep (you'll be shocked at how effective it is).
Try a meditation or white noise app
There are breathing apps such as Headspace or apps that play nature sounds to calm your mind and make you feel like you are on a breezy beach having a nap. White noise apps are also an option if the silence unsettles you and you need a background noise, such as rain or crickets. White noise combines all frequencies, so it is widely used to mask other sounds that may distract you.
Try a meditation or white noise app
There are breathing apps such as Headspace or apps that play nature sounds to calm your mind and make you feel like you are on a breezy beach having a nap. White noise apps are also an option if the silence unsettles you and you need a background noise, such as rain or crickets. White noise combines all frequencies, so it is widely used to mask other sounds that may distract you.
