It's hard to enjoy the benefits of a good night's sleep when you're stressed. You toss and turn, and you can't seem to get comfortable. Your mind is racing with thoughts about everything that has been stressing you. It's time for a change! Apart from investing in high-quality bedding such as Mela eucalyptus sheets and a comfortable mattress, below are a few tips that will help you get a good night's sleep even when you are stressed.
Emphasize relaxation two hours before bedtime
It is important to try to relax two hours before bedtime. Try reading a book, taking a warm bath, or doing some yoga exercises. These activities will help clear your mind of the day's stressors so that you can get good sleep and forget about your life stressors.
Relaxation is especially important if your mind tends to wander a lot when it's time for bed. By taking some time reading a book or doing yoga, you will be able to relax and get ready for sleep more easily. If that doesn't work naturally for you, there are relaxation techniques such as meditation which may also do the trick! Keep in mind, not every technique works the same way with everyone, so don't give up on finding one that suits your needs best!
Quit caffeine In the Evening
Another great tip to help you get good sleep is quitting caffeine in the evening. Even though some say it's fine to have a cup of latte right before bed, research shows that this may actually interfere with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
If you must have a drink, stick to herbal tea or decaffeinated beverages. Drinking a cup of chamomile tea is actually scientifically proven to help you fall asleep faster and sleep better at night, as it can improve your quality of sleep significantly!
Switch Off Your Lights at the Same Time Every Night
When it comes to quality of sleep, your bedroom is just as important. You can't expect to get a good night's rest if you're sleeping in a not relaxing environment and with too much light! Make sure there are no lights on around the house at least one hour before bedtime so that your brain will start producing melatonin, which makes you sleepy.
The key is to keep your room cool, dark, and quiet every night. If you switch off your lights, but there is still light coming from the outside, consider using blackout curtains or wearing a sleeping mask if that helps you get better sleep.
Focus on your breathing
When you focus on your breathing, you will relax and fall asleep faster. There are many breathing techniques you can try such as the four-seven-eight breathing exercise which is fairly easy to learn and practice. It involves breathing in through your nose for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and exhaling through the mouth slowly until you have expelled all of the air from your lungs. You should repeat this exercise three times whenever you feel stressed or anxious about falling asleep because it will help clear away any tension that is keeping you up at night.
Another breathing technique that can help relieve stress and allow you to enjoy sound sleep is left-nostril breathing. It involves breathing in through your left nostril and exhaling out of the right one. You should find a comfortable position to practice this technique such as lying on your back with your head facing up and keeping both hands next to you throughout the exercise.
You should repeat this exercise three times every night to help you fall asleep faster and sleep better throughout the rest of the night. It is important not to do it too often as overusing any breathing technique can actually do more harm than good.
Avoid Fearful Thoughts
Lastly, if you are one who has trouble turning off your brain when it's time for bed, try distracting yourself with other thoughts outside of work or the stress in life. One way to avoid thinking about stressful things is by focusing on something else that makes you happy, such as a family member or a pet. If this doesn't help distract your mind from any worrisome topics, try progressive muscle relaxation!
Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and relaxing every single part of the body progressively so that each area becomes more relaxed than before. You should start with clenching both hands into fists tightly for five seconds before letting go completely. After releasing your right hand, focus on your right arm and then move up to the shoulders. Keep going until you've completely relaxed every single part of your body!
Final Thoughts
Trying to sleep when you are stressed can be challenging, but there are many ways to improve your quality of sleep. The "sleep hygiene" practices outlined in this article can help you fall asleep faster and sleep better throughout the night so that you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on whatever challenges come your way. Follow them daily and enjoy a good night's rest!
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of sciencetimes.com
![Sat-Nav in Space: Best Route Between Two Worlds Calculated Using 'Knot Theory' [Study]](https://1721181113.rsc.cdn77.org/data/thumbs/full/53194/89/56/50/40/sat-nav-in-space-best-route-between-two-worlds-calculated-using-knot-theory-study.png)
