23 Tips of How to Sleep Better Without Popping Pills

If you struggle to sleep at night even when you feel mentally exhausted, you are definitely not alone. Minor insomnia is really common among people all over the world. You are probably tempted to get some medication to sort out your problem but sleeping pills can be really addictive and are not always a good idea. You can improve your sleep by making some very simple changes to your everyday life. Carry on reading to discover 23 tips of how to sleep better without popping pills.

1. Try and sleep the same time every night

By going to bed at the same time in the evening, it is going to be much easier to fall asleep. It’s important to be consistent with this routine even if it does not work at first. While children usually need a sleeping routine, it’s a good idea for many adults to have one also! Make sure you do not go to bed too early, 8 hours sleep a night is enough. If you need to be up at 8 in the morning, 11pm – midnight is a good time to go to bed.

Before we go on to more, this video gives 5 great tips to How to Get Better Sleep.

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2. Don’t take your phone to bed

Many of us are guilty of taking our phone to bed and scrolling through social media before eventually trying to get to sleep. This is not a good idea because your mind is too active and your brain is less likely to shut off from the world, which is what it should be doing. In addition to not going on your phone in bed, I recommend staying away from ALL electronic devices around an hour before bedtime. The lights and sounds are not going to help give you the relaxed state of mind that you need.

3. Keep your room clean

Research has shown that it’s much easier to fall asleep in a clean bedroom, rather than a messy one. “A tidy house equals a tidy mind” is a common quote and this definitely applies to the room you want to relax most in. You are generally going to feel much more ready to wind down for the night if you are in a room that is clear from clutter and one that also smells good. Take a few minutes every day to ensure your room is clean so that you don’t have to do this at bedtime itself.

4. Stay away from caffeine in the afternoon

If you are a lover of caffeine, this could be a big factor in why you are not falling asleep in the night. Coffee, fizzy drinks, tea and other items are stimulants. They give your mind a burst of energy and make it very difficult to sleep. I’m not saying you have to cut these things out completely, but definitely decrease the amount of them that you drink especially in the late afternoon/evening.

5. Make sure your bed is comfortable

It’s going to be very hard for anyone to sleep on a lumpy mattress and uncomfortable pillows. These are definitely things that are worth investing in to get sleep. Don’t be afraid to spend a little more money to find a mattress/pillow that suits your needs. A lack of sleep can affect your mental and physical health and this is something that you cannot put a price on.

6. A cool room is better

Many people feel like their room should be warm and cozy but studies have shown that a cooler environment is actually easier to fall asleep in. So get yourself a thermometer and make sure your room is 64-75 degrees F (18 – 24 degrees C) in temperature. You can always wrap yourself up in a fluffy blanket if you need to get warmer, which will give you an even better slumber. Once you are in a bedroom that is too warm, it can make it very difficult to sleep even if you cool it down again afterwards.

7. Try a glass of warm milk or another snack

There are snacks out there that induce sleep, so these are worth giving a try around 30 minutes before you plan on going to bed. This includes a warm cup of milk, cheese, yogurts and even ice cream! Why do these bring on sleep, you might be wondering? They all contain an ingredient known as tryptophan which is said to be a natural calmer for the body.

8. Take a hot bath

Another thing that you can try is a warm both before bed. This will help to relax your body and mind, which will help get you ready for sleep. Why not add candles and lavender products to your bathtime routine, to really take the experience to another level of bliss. Don’t forget to dress in your most comfortable pajamas after your bath and you are all set.

9. Don’t nap during the day

We all love an afternoon nap from time to time but if you have trouble falling asleep during the night, these naps are probably best avoided. This goes hand in hand with developing a good night-time routine and sleeping during the day just doesn’t work for some people. Cutting out these extra naps should hopefully make you sleep like a baby when you are supposed to. You can welcome the feelings of tiredness during the day, if you know you will be getting a good night sleep out of it.

10. Exercise in the evening

By exercising in the evening, you are going to be getting your body exhausted and ready for sleep in all the right ways. Obviously you shouldn’t work out immediately before bed because you will still be energized, so I recommend exercising around 2-3 hours before you try to sleep. In addition to helping you in this aspect, there are obviously so many other health benefits related to exercise and it will improve your quality of life in general.

11. Don’t stare at the ceiling

If you are in bed for more than 15 minutes staring at the ceiling and you don’t feel sleepiness taking you over, get up again. Staying in bed will only prolong this process and will make it even harder to shut off from the world and your own thoughts. Get up and do something relaxing before going back to bed and trying again in 30 minutes or so.

12. Don’t keep any pets in your room

Your cat or dog might very well be your best friend, but it’s important that they have their own bed at night time. They might be walking around, making noises or laying on you while you are trying to get to sleep and this isn’t going to help the situation. So banish them from the bedroom and you might soon feel the benefits of your own space.

13. Organize your bedroom in a beneficial way

Studies have shown that the way your bedroom is organized can greatly impact the quality of sleep that you experience. You should place your bed so that it is a comfortable distance from the bedroom door, while still facing the door. Experts have said that this simple touch will trigger calming hormones in your body which should help you fully relax in your environment.

14. Hide your alarm

If you have an alarm clock and that you have a certain time you have to be awake every morning, hide the object in question. That red lights in your eyes can be annoying and will make you constantly feel the need to check the time. The alarm doesn’t have to directly be in your eye level for it to go off in the morning, so don’t worry about that. If you put it away, you will subconsciously be more likely to fall asleep because you are not WORRYING about the lack of sleep and wondering how many hours you will get.

15. Fight the stress by breathing exercises

If you have a lot of stress in your life, this could be affecting your ability to get to sleep in the evening. I recommend managing your stress in whatever way you can and one thing to try when you are in bed to clear your mind is some breathing exercises. Take a deep breathe in and slowly breath out, a few of these exercises before bed can make a big difference. You can even try them if you wake up during the night too for a better quality of rest.

16. Don’t have a big meal before bed

Sleeping on an empty stomach is not advisable but neither is sleeping on an overly full one. If you eat a big meal within an hour or so before bed, you might suffer acid reflux or general bloat which could alter your ability to get to sleep. If you do have a particularly big meal one evening, try and wait at least 3 hours until you hit the sheets. The need to eat before bed can be really strong sometimes and if you do feel the need to eat something, make sure it’s something light and it doesn’t contain caffeine or sugar.

17. Have an orgasm

The hormones released during/after an orgasm make you feel good and also relax you. How many times have you had one and then fallen asleep immediately afterwards? Having an orgasm before bed whether through masturbation or sex is said to greatly increasing your likelihood of falling asleep quicker and gives you a higher quality sleep. I’m sure a partner wouldn’t mind giving you a helping hand on this one so give it a try!

18. Have a comfortable noise level

Most people like complete silence when they fall asleep and if this applies to you, make sure it is that case every single night. If you don’t mind a little bit of noise however or even some music, then implement this into your nightly routine. Some people even like to listen to a podcast or eBook as they fall asleep! Everyone is different so you need to figure out what works for you.

19. Give up smoking

If you are a smoker, then you likely know how bad it is for your health. Well now you have another reason to quit because smoking can actually cause light levels of insomnia. Smoking is a stimulant and does the opposite of making you feel sleepy. If you are struggling to quit completely, even cutting down on how much you smoke might make a difference.

20. Read a book before bed

One relaxing thing that people love to do before bedtime is reading a book. It gives you some entertainment without being as stimulating as watching tv or going on the computer. Reading a book can really relax your mind and get you ready for bed. This only applies if you read something that isn’t too intellectually stimulating or a thriller that might scare you however, so keep this in mind when choosing what book to read.

21. Block out the light

A dark room is much easier to fall asleep in and even a little bit of light can make a difference to you being able to get to sleep or not. In addition to making sure the lights are off, ensure there is no light coming in through your window or under your bedroom door. I recommend getting “black out” curtains if you live near street lights that keep you awake all night.

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22. Wear socks to bed

Many people have cold feet in the evening but surprisingly, many of those people still choose not to wear socks to bed. Socks in the night can actually make your whole body feel warmer and therefore, make you more relaxed. Go shopping and choose yourself a new, fluffy pair of socks that you wear solely during the night time.

23. Wake up when you are meant to

If you take a long time to fall asleep, you might be tempted to hit that snooze button when morning finally rolls around. I advise against doing this because it links into the first point on this article of keeping a solid sleeping pattern. Trying to catch up on lost sleep is only going to mess up your body clock even more. So stick to the routine that you have given yourself in addition to trying some of the mentioned tips. This should make you see results before long at all and more sleep is guaranteed to make you happier.