Having Trouble Sleeping? Here Are Six Tips That Can Help

We’ve all been there – lying restlessly in bed, willing ourselves to fall asleep, but not even so much as a yawn coming along. It is certainly a most frustrating feeling, and even more so when you know you have an early start the very next day but your body will just not fall off to sleep! Fortunately, there are a couple of tricks available that you can actually use to help you the next time you find you just can’t get some zzz’s!

Positivity

It’s supported by science that releasing yourself of negativity and negative thoughts will certainly calm you down and will make falling asleep easier. It is a matter of giving all those familiar thoughts like “I’m going to be tired tomorrow” and “I’m never going to sleep” the boot! Place your focus on positive thoughts, like how comfortable your nightwear is, how soft the sheets are, or how pleasant the silence is – no matter how small the positive thought, it will perform wonders as long as it displaces the negative!

Pick a Focal Point

We are all familiar with the age-old trick of counting sheep when you can’t get yourself to la-la land, and there is a reason that some people swear by it! It is actually very effective to place your focus on a point, like that of counting sheep, as it will free your mind of racing thoughts. Another handy trick is to focus on your breathing or even imagine a large treasure chest, into which you lay each of your thoughts into them one by one. Similarly, chanting a mantra in your mind continuously will be helpful as well.

Fake It

It may seem really funny, but nobody will laugh at you if they don’t know what you’re really up to! So, the idea is this: the next time you know bedtime is around the corner and you really need to get some shut-eye but you don’t feel the least bit tired, just fake it! That’s right, fool yourself into believing that you are sleepy and you will sleep! Put on a show for yourself complete with droopy eyes, and letting the feeling of sinking into your bed consume you. Before you know it, you’ll be lights out!

Read

There are many different situations that call for a book. When you cannot fall asleep, though, reading is a great activity to engage in until you feel relaxed enough to drift off. Simply choose any book at all, and read without any expectations. Don’t try to read until a particular page, and don’t even try to retain any information or focus on the story. The idea is to simply read to distract your mind from the thoughts that are hindering it from relaxing. Soon, you will find that your mind will relent and surrender to sleep! Make sure you read actual books, though, in as dim lighting as is comfortable for your eyes because reading on your phone or e-reader simply isn’t the same somehow!

Music or White Noise

Silence isn’t so great for everyone – some people like a bit of background noise to help them slip into sleep. Or perhaps you have an irritating noise you would prefer covering up with some gentle music to help you get your snooze on. Either way, investing some time in looking for a few relaxing songs that really work for you is worthwhile. Try anything — from instrumental music to sounds of nature like a flowing river or recordings of rainfall or white noise to fill the silence with some subtle, helpful, sleep-inducing sounds.

The Head-to-Toe Release

When all else fails and you simply have to try something a little out of the ordinary, here’s a good exercise to start with. Lie down flat on your bed or find a comfortable position. Imagine that each one of your body parts is falling off to sleep, one at a time. Begin with your toes and feet. Imagine that your right foot has fallen off to sleep, and say it to yourself in your mind. Then your left foot. Then your right leg left leg, and so on. Take it as slow as necessary, even doing it a toe at a time if you must!

The next time you find yourself tossing and turning in bed, willing the Sandman to help you sleep, try out these tricks!