Fight Off Insomnia
From having strange dreams to not being able to sleep at all, there’s A LOT going on with our sleeping cycles right now. For many of us, the latter seems to be a big problem. But how can we beat it? How can we fight off insomnia in order to get some much-earned sleep in this time of unrest? And how can we continue those practices into the rest of the year and beyond? Well, here’s a list of 5 sleeping hacks to improve your relationship with your own sleep.
Breathing exercises
- Breathe in your nose for 4 slow seconds
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds
- Breathe out for 8 seconds.
- Repeat
Extra Pillows
Perhaps it’s your posture that’s affecting your sleep. Maybe it’s time to readjust the way that you lay down. To help you with that, consider getting an extra pillow or two. Get a tiny pillow to put under your back so that you’re not laying completely flat. Or, get another standard pillow/rolled-up towel to place under your knees. It reduces pain in the back and neck and prevents heartburn.
Erase Distractions
Make sure that you’re not setting your sleep up for failure by sleeping near things that will keep your mind going. This includes not only digital screens but printed pages as well. Yes, you want to avoid looking at your phone or computer for 30 minutes before you go to sleep, but you also want to not read anything for about the same time too. This is about training your body to know how to wind down. If you bring it stimulating content like a book or an app, your mind will just keep on racing.
Exercise
Another way to get your body ready to rest is to tire it out. Some light stretching or exercise should do the trick! Try some yoga. First, spend 60 seconds of a reclined bound angle pose followed by 5-10 breaths in the seated cat+cow pose. Then, stretching out with some neck stretches for 5-10 breaths. Follow that will 5 minutes of legs up the wall and one to five minutes of Upavista + wall. Lastly, finish up with a child’s pose for 3 mins.
Thanks to 5-Minute Crafts for the routine!
Keep A Regular Schedule
One final idea to help yourself fight off insomnia is to keep a regular sleeping schedule. You train your body to get prepared for sleep by winding down with regular routines like washing up or doing light exercise. Plus, you can also prepare yourself for sleep by keeping to regular bedtime like 9 or 10 o’clock at night. For younger readers in their early 20s, this may sound crazy. But, it is worth trying out.
Anything Else?
What tricks and tips did we forget? DO you have for us and other readers? What helped you fight off insomnia and get some much-needed sleep? And, would you like another article with more hacks to get a better night's sleep? Tell us your advice and thoughts down in the comments below.
