Have you ever been rolling around in bed, restlessly trying to fall asleep but instead of closing your eyes and trying to drift off to sleep, you stare at your alarm clock calculating how many potential hours of sleep you have left? I’ve been there and it sucks. Nothing is worse than not being able to sleep when you really want to sleep. I’m sick and tired (no pun intended) of these sleepless nights, so here are some tricks I’ve learned to get a good night’s sleep every night!
Read a Book
Using your phone before bed is a big no-no. The artificial light from your phone can trick your body into thinking it’s daytime and make you more awake. Therefore, a nice alternative is reading a book. Books obviously don’t involve any light shining directly into your eyes and reading is a great way to relax and unwind before bed.
Apply Essential Oils
Essential oils work so well when applied before bed. They are cooling and relaxing, especially when you apply them to your pressure points, like your temples and the back of your neck. I prefer applying them directly rather than diffusing them because I find that they have more of an effect when applied. My personal favorite essential oil is peppermint because it also helps soothe migraines, which I personally suffer from. Apply essential oils before bed and you’ll instantly feel more relaxed!
Listen to a Sleep Podcast
Sleep podcasts are a relatively new idea but let me tell you – they work. The idea of a sleep podcast is that the speaker tells you a relaxing story or leads you through a meditation that helps you relax. This is great because I often find myself lying awake at night thinking about all the things currently stressing me out, thus keeping me up until the early AM. Listening to a sleep podcast helps me temporarily forget about these things and lets me drift off to sleep as I start focusing on the story I’m listening to. My favorite sleep podcast is Nothing Much Happens, where the podcaster Kathryn Nicolai reads you a story in which “nothing much happens,” letting you easily doze off to sleep.
Life has a ton of things capable of keeping us from getting our 8 hours every night, but don’t forget how important sleep is! Sleeping is probably the best form of self-care, so devote some time to it! Give your body a break by letting it recharge!