Draw your blinds or curtains to block out any street lights. If it’s still too bright you can wear a sleep mask (or even drape a t-shirt over your eyes if you don’t have one).
If you have control of your thermostat, make sure you adjust the temperature at night to a comfortable, cool setting. If you don’t have air conditioning, or if you share a house or apartment and can’t adjust the temperature of your room, try cracking a window or using fans to lower the temperature if it’s too hot. If it’s too cold you can use a hot water bottle, heating pad, or an extra blanket to warm things up.
Turn on a fan, turn on a sound machine, or tune your radio between stations to create white noise, a steady, monotonous sound that can effectively mask the noises that stimulate our brains and disturb our sleep. If you don’t have a fan or sound machine, there are many phone apps you can download with sounds like waterfalls, thunderstorms, or ocean waves to lull you to sleep.
Inhale deeply through your nose an exhale through your mouth.
Foods containing carbohydrates and tryptophan, such as whole grain bread, turkey, and bananas, can help make you sleepy. Stick to mild foods. Spicy, acidic foods can cause indigestion. Fatty, rich foods take longer to break down, and the work your body must do to digest them could prevent sleep. Stay away from sweets with sugar or caffeine will stimulate your body and keep you awake.
Go to sleep at the same time every night. Aim for a time when you naturally start getting tired. Wake up at the same time every day. While it’s tempting to get a few more hours of shut-eye on the weekends, this will throw off your sleep schedule and you may have difficulty falling asleep at the right time.
Choose an appropriate time to exercise. If you go for a run right before bed, chances are you’ll be too wired to sleep. Give yourself a few hours to wind down before trying to sleep. [8] X Expert Source Alex Dimitriu, MDSleep Specialist Expert Interview. 16 October 2019. If you’re short on time, try breaking up your exercise throughout the day. Even choosing to take the stairs over an elevator can give you a quick workout. [9] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source
If you want to do a relaxing activity before bed, such as reading or knitting, try going into another room with soft light.
Use an alarm clock instead of your phone to wake you up in the morning, and keep your phone out of reach. Keep the TV and computer in another room, not your bedroom.
Try drinking milk or decaffeinated tea in the afternoon and evening instead of coffee or soda.
