It’s a pain to stay awake. 7 Sleep Aids That Will Help You Fall asleep Here are some ways to get the much-needed sleep you need.
Everybody has nights when they can’t get enough sleep. If you have insomnia, it isn’t a one-off problem. It’s a daily struggle.
Vikas Jain, MD, a sleep medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, defines insomnia as the “inability to fall asleep or stay asleep” and is a condition that causes daytime dysfunction (fatigued. tired. trouble focusing).
According to the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, around one-fourth of Americans suffer from insomnia yearly. Poor sleep habits and anxiety are the most common causes of insomnia.
According to Hrayr Attarian, MD, medical director at Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Center, “Chronic sleeplessness affects approximately 6-7% of men aged 20-40.”
Many men will resort to sleeping pills to manage their insomnia. Pills shouldn’t be your first-line defense. These sleep tips can help you beat insomnia.
You can read a hard copy of the book.
Insomnia is when you wake up several times per night. Read a book instead of turning and tossing. Attarian says that if you cannot fall asleep after 20-30 minutes, then get up and move to a different area to do a relaxing activity. You can also do something ‘unproductive’ that isn’t work-related, such as cleaning up the house or sending emails. You can also listen to or read music.
It would help if you did not use your iPad or Kindle to read a paperback. In a 2014 study, participants read on an electronic device for five nights. Then they switched to paper books for five nights. Participants were then tracked as to their sleep every night. The researchers found that participants who used e-readers for nights fell asleep faster and slept better than those who read books. Why? Blue light from e-readers can interfere with melatonin manufacturing, so Attarian recommends getting the F.lux software.
2
Your bed should only be used for sleep and sex.
“Insomnia can be learned. Your brain should be able to decide when you go to bed: do you want to fall asleep or have sexual relations? Jain says that using your bed for 30 different activities will make it more challenging to fall numb. You should reserve your bed for sleeping or sex.
3
You can try some melatonin-rich Kiwis.
Melatonin is a natural way to fall asleep. Jain says that F diets with more melatonin may be more conducive to sleep. A melatonin-rich fruit such as a kiwi can help you sleep better. One study showed that people who ate two kiwis an hour before bed for four weeks had better sleep quality (i.e., fewer wake-ups in the middle of the night).
4
Try some tart cherry juice.
Recent 2018 research found that people who consumed 1 cup of tart cherry juice twice daily for two weeks had an 84-minute increase in their sleep time compared to those who drank the placebo.
5
Relaxation techniques are a good option.
Chilling out is essential to get a good night’s sleep. “Avoiding doing work/emailing/mentally stimulating activity 20-30 minutes before bed and dedicating it to relaxing activities is key to beating insomnia,” says Attarian. “Studies have shown that breathing exercises, mindfulness/meditation, and muscle relaxation are all helpful.” For guided meditations, Attarian recommends using the Calm app.
6
Enjoy a light dinner.
A food coma is a condition where you are unable to eat. However, if you stuff your face before going to bed, it may cause you to wake up more often during the night. Attarian suggests eating dinner at least three to four hours before bed. Reflux can occur when too much food is in the stomach, mainly if it’s fat. You may not feel like you are experiencing burning acid. It could be something as simple as food from your belly rising and waking you. Insomnia is when you wake up several times per night. Read a book instead of turning and tossing. Attarian says that if you cannot fall asleep after 20-30 minutes, then get up and move to a different area to do a relaxing activity. You can also do something ‘unproductive’ that isn’t work-related, such as cleaning up the house or sending emails. You can also listen to or read music.
7
Eliminate the TV from your bedroom.
Attarian says that a TV in the bedroom is unsuitable for people with insomnia. It’s stimulating, from the noise it makes to the light it emits. Research backs him up. A 2017 study published by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine showed that binge-watching and watching TV before bed increased cognitive arousal and poorer sleep
