Sleep Well BlogSleep Advice From Sleep Experts

One of the best ways to combat sleeplessness at night is to create a bedtime routine.  Human bodies tend to respond very well to routines, which is why you probably wake up at a similar time each morning, have meals around the same time each day, and generally have a rhythm for your day. If you start creating a routine of things you do before bed each evening, your body will start to calm down. Here are a few things you might include in your routine.

• Of course, personal hygiene at bedtime is a must. Instead of just brushing your teeth and washing your face, though, you might want to add in something relaxing. Rub lavender scented lotion into your hands, or give yourself a quick foot massage.
• Start dimming the lights you’re around at least a couple of hours before bed. This means skipping out on the television and the computer screen. Read with a relatively dim light, or simply listen to music with the lights off.
• Start getting ready for bed about the same time every night if at all possible. This time routine alone can often help people who have trouble falling asleep get to sleep more quickly each night.
• If you have trouble shutting off your brain to fall asleep because of distracting outside noises, try investing in a sound machine.  Some machines are just white noise to drown out distracting and waking noises around you. Others will actually play music or calming ocean sounds, etc. These can be used to help you start unwinding each night.
• Even if you can’t get to bed at the same time each night, try your best to wake up at the same time each morning.  This will help your body stay on track so you can fall asleep the next night.

Related articles

• Sleeping difficulty – All Information (umm.edu)
• Eating Before Bed (aolhealth.com)
• All the Nervous Sleepers* (weddingbee.com)