Many people know the problem: They lie in bed, their thoughts are circling. You turn from left to right, sometimes on your stomach, then on your back – it’s difficult to fall asleep. The next morning you wake up to the ringing of the alarm clock – after what feels like three hours of sleep. Headaches, difficulty concentrating and fatigue accompany you throughout the day. A restful night is of great importance for physical and mental well-being. What helps? These ten evening routines:
Avoid using electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops before bed. The blue light emitted from these devices can lower melatonin levels. The result: The body remains awake and the process of falling asleep is disrupted. Additionally, surfing the Internet, reading the news, or watching videos before bed can stimulate the mind and cause stress. This results in the body not being able to fully relax and sleep being less restful. To help you fall asleep better, experts recommend turning off electronic devices at least an hour before going to bed.
Instead of allowing yourself to be disturbed by the waking light of your smartphone, you should use special sleep lamps. The lamps project light onto the ceiling. The spot of light changes size every few seconds and dictates how you should breathe. Controlled breathing is said to help you get tired and fall asleep more quickly. After a while the device switches itself off.
Yoga and meditation can help calm the mind and relax the body. By combining breathing exercises, gentle body movements and meditation techniques, the body is prepared for a calm and relaxed sleep phase. The production of cortisol, a hormone that causes stress, is reduced and the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, is stimulated. This helps promote the body’s natural sleep rhythm and achieve a deeper, more restful night’s sleep.
In addition, yoga and meditation can also help reduce fears and worries that often prevent us from falling asleep. By focusing on the breath and the here and now, the mind calms and the body relaxes, which can lead to deeper sleep. So grab a yoga mat and prepare for your sleep! Instructions and videos on yoga and meditation can be found free of charge on the Internet.
Reading a book can be an effective way to sleep better. By immersing yourself in a story or learning new information, the mind is distracted from everyday worries and fears – stress levels decrease and the body relaxes. However, it is important to choose a book that is not too exciting or stimulating, as this can stimulate the body and disrupt sleep.
Instead, choose books that are calming and relaxing, such as novels or non-fiction books. So before you go to sleep, it’s better to pick up “101 Essays that will change your life” or “Compass for the Soul” than a boring Fitzek novel.
An often overlooked way to improve sleep is diet. For example, a carbohydrate-rich meal in the evening can prepare the body for a calm and relaxed sleep phase, as carbohydrates can increase the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for relaxation and well-being. Foods like bananas, almonds and oatmeal contain melatonin and tryptophan, both of which can help promote sleep. Melatonin capsules can serve as a supplement. They are also said to help you fall asleep.
However, certain foods should be avoided before going to bed: Caffeinated drinks such as coffee or tea can stimulate the body and disrupt sleep. Heavy, fatty meals can also put a strain on the body and make you feel unwell and have trouble sleeping. The timing of the meal also plays a role. It is recommended not to eat at least two hours before bedtime to give the body enough time to digest the food.
Give yourself a bath before you go to bed. Taking a warm bath before bed can help relax the body and mind and promote better sleep. The hot water increases the body temperature, which then slowly cools down again.
This process signals the body that it is time to rest and can help the sleep cycle occur more quickly. Muscles relax, the mind calms, the skin is freed of dirt, oil and dead skin cells – a peeling can support the process.
Before you go to bed, you should open or ventilate the window and darken the windows. Because: A cool, dark bedroom can help us fall asleep faster and sleep better. The body temperature drops and the body is prepared for sleep.
Darkness is an important factor in the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps us fall asleep and stay asleep. An environment that is too bright or busy can make you feel awake and restless. So get darkening curtains or blinds and (if necessary) use Oropax.
A regular sleep-wake rhythm is an important factor for healthy sleep and can help you fall asleep faster. A regular sleep schedule means going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. This allows the body to develop an internal rhythm that helps it prepare for sleep. However, going to sleep at different times every day disrupts this natural rhythm and can make it harder to fall asleep.
Good preparation for the next day can help reduce stress and hectic pace and make the day successful. One option is to create a to-do list. This means you can concentrate better on the most important tasks the next day and not be distracted by unimportant things.
A list like this helps you calm down in the evening because you have your thoughts organized and don’t have to worry so much about forgotten tasks. Preparing clothing and equipment for the next day can also be helpful. This saves you time in the morning and avoids stress because you are not looking for the right clothes or utensils.
Writing down thoughts and feelings can help calm the mind and ensure a restful night’s sleep. By writing down your thoughts and feelings, you can take them out of your head and put them on paper. This allows you to better sort and analyze your thoughts and feelings. For example, you can keep a gratitude journal to focus on the positive events of the day.
Stressful thoughts and worries can also be removed from your mind and thus create a calm and relaxed basis for falling asleep. Another positive effect of writing a diary is that you have a kind of memory aid to remember important events or tasks.
A cozy atmosphere can have a big impact on the quality of our sleep. First of all, it is important that the sleeping area is clean and tidy. A messy and chaotic environment can cause stress and anxiety, which can negatively impact the process of falling asleep and also sleep.
Therefore, there should be no objects lying around that could prevent you from falling asleep. Make it a routine to tidy up your bedroom every night. Put up decorations and light candles if necessary while you read a book or drink tea in bed.
Those: “Geo”, “RKI”
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