In order to be able to sleep faster and better at night, it is possible to bet on techniques and attitudes that promote relaxation and facilitate sleep, such as having a relaxed breathing or improving the temperature and lighting of the environment, for example.
In addition to improving sleep and avoiding sleepiness the next day, it is important for people who suffer from insomnia or difficulty sleeping to follow habits, such as having a schedule, exercising, and avoiding drinks with caffeine after 5 pm . To learn more about the habits that help to improve sleep, see the tips to sleep well.
But if it is still hard to sleep, follow these techniques and exercises that help you fall asleep in seconds or minutes:
1. Control breathing
Deeper, more time-consuming breathing makes it easier for the body to relax and slow down the heart rate, making the brain understand that it's time to slow down, helping you to fall asleep faster.
- Exercise : Practice 4-7-8, which consists of inhaling through the nose for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and letting the air through the mouth for 8 seconds. See another breathing technique that can help you sleep better.
2. Relax the muscles
Stress and anxiety make the muscles contract, even though we do not realize it. So a great way to relax and fall asleep faster is to practice a muscle relaxation technique. Know the technique of mindfulness for anxiety.
- Exercise : Find a comfortable position, preferably with the belly up and arms and legs apart, then inhale deeply. When letting out the air, one should imagine that the muscles are loosening and relaxing. Repeat 3 times. Then imagine the muscles of each region of the body and their relaxation, one by one, from the feet to the head.
3. Distracting the mind
An important cause of insomnia is over-worries and thoughts, which creates more and more anxiety and, as a consequence, alertness. To avoid this, it is possible to find ways of leading the mind to other types of thoughts, and facilitating relaxation and sleep.
- Exercise : Spend about 10 to 15 minutes doing a recap of the day that has gone by or planning the next day. Imagine what to do to have a better and perfect day, which helps to distract and calm. This training is not recommended only if you are going through some stressful situation, and you should prefer to focus on another type of subject, such as a subject or subject you are studying, for example.
4. Listen to relaxing music
Putting to play relaxing music, or soothing sounds, can be a good alternative to falling asleep faster.
- Exercise : Buy a CD or download a playlist of songs to relax, soothe or meditate, which may contain quiet songs or sounds of nature, such as rain, for example. Preferably, do not use headphones, as they may discomfort or injure your ears during sleep. As you listen, try to apply the other techniques of breathing or relaxation of muscles.
5. Focus on something
Focusing on a goal, a place or some object, and imagining them in detail, are good ways to distract and calm thoughts, making sleep come faster.
- Exercise : Focus on a beautiful landscape, such as a beach or forest, for example, and imagine the details such as the sound of water, animal noises, textures, and smells. Do this with the help of a deep breath and feel your muscles relaxing whenever you let the air out.
6. Try to keep your eyes open
Sometimes the fact of being trying causes too much anxiety and makes sleep difficult, so stopping insisting to sleep can help you fall asleep more quickly.
- Exercise : If sleep takes a long time, try to keep your eyes open. If this does not work, it is preferable to get up and do some other activity instead of staying in bed, because being closed-eyed and unable to sleep can make insomnia worse.
7. Fit the environment
Anything that is bothering the body increases stress levels and keeps sleep away, so having a supportive environment to sleep is crucial so that there is no insomnia, which is often left out. Having a proper temperature, reducing illumination and decreasing unwanted noises are essential to enable quick sleep. Check out how to schedule a good night's sleep.
Exercise : prepare the bedroom and let it ideal to sleep with these 5 steps:
- Adequate temperature, especially if it is a very hot place, and invest in a fan or air conditioner;
- Adjust lighting by turning off bright lights and lamps from appliances such as a computer, cell phone or television. If it is necessary to have some type of light during or in the 90 minutes before sleep, it is preferable the light orange light, that stimulates the production and melatonin, the sleep hormone. Avoid electronic devices as much as possible;
- Remove any noise that may bother you, but if that is not possible, flush these sounds with a white noise device purchased from electronics stores, with a fan or a recording of sounds from nature, for example;
- Keep your body comfortable by investing in a mattress and pillows that leave the body neutral, preferably with the neck straight. It is recommended to have a medium pillow to support the neck and another to stay between the legs - know the best mattress and pillow to help you sleep better;
- Use aromatherapy, using a few drops of lavender essential oil, on the pillow or pillowcase. Understand what aromatherapy is for and how it works.
In addition, taking a hot bath also helps to relax, preferably in a bathtub, with relaxing flavors.
8. Have a hot drink
Make a small snack or have a hot or relaxing drink before bed. Some options may be a glass of hot milk with honey or a sweet biscuit, cherry with rice milk, or a chamomile tea or lemon balm, for example, that increase the levels of tryptophan or melatonin, hormones that help regulate the sleep.
See, in the following video, the nutritionist's tips on what to eat to fight insomnia:
In addition, there are some natural supplements, such as melatonin or valerian, which are also useful for improving and regulating sleep. Taking medicines, such as diazepam or clonazepam, for example, is not a good idea, as they cause addiction and lead to health problems such as changes in concentration and memory.
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