Wiki how do you sleep

Try listening to a radio program or podcast that's not too engaging to help block out noise distractions such as traffic, as well as worrisome thoughts. Listen to something that is soft-spoken instead of loud, and something you enjoy but not so much that you will stay up just to listen to it.

National Institutes of Health Go to source. Try meditating to calm your mind and body. Breathe slowly and deeply and visualize soothing imagery, such as clouds, a quiet beach, or a comfortable place from your childhood. Allow your thoughts to wander like passing clouds or rocking waves as you relax your muscles and sink into the bed. Give sleep supplements a shot. There are many sleep supplements available that may help you fall asleep.

The typical dose available at pharmacies and health stores is 3 mg, but as little as 0. A standard dose is mg. When brewing it, use 2 bags, and be sure to use caffeine-free herbal tea.

Try reading, taking a hot bath, listening to soothing music, or having a light snack. Do the activity for 15 to 20 minutes, or until you start to feel drowsy, then head back to bed. If you stay in bed tossing and turning, you might associate your bedroom with stress, which will make it harder to fall asleep. Method 2. Dim the lights in your house 2 hours before bed. Bright light after sundown tells your brain that the sun is coming back up, which can prevent it from releasing hormones that help you fall asleep.

Use your dimmers, if you have them, or turn off bright overhead lights and use lamps instead. Do your best to avoid screens at least 1 hour before you hit the hay. National Institutes of Health Go to source Additionally, email, social media, and other stimulations will get you worked up and make it harder to fall asleep. If you need to use your phone or computer before you go to bed, lower the brightness and use an app that filters blue light.

It's okay to look at electronic screens that don't emit light, such as e-readers without built-in backlights. Try wearing earplugs if you're dealing with constant, inescapable noise. Small earplugs or bigger, noise-eliminating earmuffs could provide the tranquil soundscape you need to drift off to sleep.

If you find earplugs or earmuffs uncomfortable, you could also try sleeping with a blanket or soft pillow over your head.

Hide your clock. Make sure your clock is out of sight, and resist the urge to check the time. If you have an analog clock, the ticking might be disturbing, so consider going with a quieter alternative.

Use white noise to fall asleep in noisy environments. White noise is a constant, unobtrusive noise that helps you ignore disturbing sounds, like noisy neighbors or a busy street. It can be the sound of static, raindrops, rustling leaves, or calm, wordless music.

You can look for a white noise channel on your video or audio streaming service, or invest in a white noise machine. A fan or air purifier could also do the trick. Buy or make a sleeping mask. If you're struggling with ambient light, make an impromptu sleep mask out of an old tie, pillowcase, or headband.

You can also buy one online, at your local pharmacy, or at a department store. Method 3. Keep your room cool, clean, dark, and quiet. Sleeping in a hot and uncomfortable area is not a good or relaxing way to sleep, so do your best to get air regulation throughout the room. A cluttered space can increase stress, and it can be tough to relax if your sheets are smelly.

Light pollution can also impact how well you sleep. When you're setting up your room for the night, consider investing in blackout curtains. These will help block any unwanted lights, including those coming from the street or other nearby buildings. Use aromatherapy to soothe your senses. Try adding lemon balm oil, chamomile oil, lavender oil, or marjoram to a hot bath. You could also purchase an oil diffuser with reed sticks, light candles, or use a linen spray.

You could also keep a diffuser on your nightstand so you'll smell soothing aromas as you lie in bed. If you light a candle, be sure to blow it out before you go to sleep. Choose loose, comfortable sleepwear. Go for loose, breathable fabrics, like cotton, instead of heavy materials, like flannel. Tight, heavy sleepwear prevents your body temperature from lowering, which is necessary in order to fall asleep.

Sleepwear that feels soft and comfortable can also help you relax. National Institutes of Health Go to source Sleeping nude or in underwear also helps your body regulate its temperature. Consider stripping down if you regularly feel too warm in bed.

Your sheets should be cozy and breathable, too, so replace them if they're scratchy or uncomfortable. Invest in a comfortable mattress. If your mattress is old or lumpy, replacing it might solve your sleeping problems. Go to source If you want to do a relaxing activity before bed, such as reading or knitting, try going into another room with soft light.

Try taking an over the counter medicine like Advil pm, or unisom. Part 3. Avoid bright light, especially from television, computer, and phone screens. It seems like a natural solution--you're trying to unwind so you flip on the TV, or your phone is charging on your bedside table so you take a last peek to see if there's anything new on social media.

The light will stimulate your brain and disrupt the process of quieting down for sleep. Go to source Use an alarm clock instead of your phone to wake you up in the morning, and keep your phone out of reach. Keep the TV and computer in another room, not your bedroom. Quit caffeine after 2pm. The effects of caffeine can extend for hours after consumption.

So enjoy your morning coffee, but try to leave it at that. Go to source Try drinking milk or decaffeinated tea in the afternoon and evening instead of coffee or soda. Quit smoking. Not only does nicotine act as a stimulant and keep you awake, you may begin experiencing powerful, disruptive withdrawal symptoms as you sleep. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Related wikiHows How to. How to. Sleep Specialist. Expert Interview. More References 4. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Alex Dimitriu, MD. Co-authors: Updated: October 26, Categories: Bedtime Routine. Medical Disclaimer The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment.

Make some noise in the rest of the house. Bang pots around in the kitchen or open and close doors loudly. Turn the television up in a close room. The ambient noises will likely wake the person up. Another option is run some water in the nearest bathroom or have a conversation outside of their door. Method 3. Create a loud noise that's obviously meant to wake them up.

Go in their room, and bang a metal or wooden spoon on the bottom of a pot or clap 2 objects together that make a loud noise, such as 2 pot lids. Just pick some loud noise that will wake them up. This technique works best if it's a surprise. You could also try a whistle. Blast some tunes. Another option is to put on one of their favorite songs that has a good beat.

Blast it on some nearby speakers in their room or the next, and play it loud. They'll likely hop out of bed pretty quickly! Pull the person out of bed by their feet. Of course, you don't want to hurt the person, and you don't need to pull them all the way out of bed. As soon as you start pulling, they're likely to wake up, especially if you just pulled the covers off.

Pretend there's an earthquake. Shake their mattress, and at the same time, say loudly, "Wake up, there's an earthquake! Dump some cold water on the person.

Nothing wakes a person up like a bit of cold water on the face. Shake some water in ice, and then pour the water into another glass. Slosh the water on their face and chest for the most immediate effect, but be ready for some anger! Method 4. Identify when a person is sleepwalking. People who are sleepwalking tend to have a glazed expression. You likely won't be able to get their attention, and they may even be wandering around in the dark.

If you find someone in this state, they're likely sleepwalking. Redirect the person back to bed. The best course of action is to take them back to their bed.

Gently guide them through the house, and make sure they climb back in bed. They will most likely go right back to sleep. Wake the person up only if they're trying to do something dangerous.

Some sleepwalkers do things like cook, tear down doors, and even drive while sleepwalking. While it can be difficult to wake a sleepwalker, you may need to do so if they're doing an activity that could endanger them or others.

Try saying their name loudly or gently shaking their shoulder. Worrying about falling asleep is counterproductive and can lead to insomnia. Late to bed and early to rise will leave you chronically tired. Establish relaxing bedtime rituals. It's also important to develop relaxing bedtime rituals to tell your body and mind it's time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Conversely, avoiding stressful night-time activities is important to keep your mind from racing and your hormones adrenaline pumping.

Relaxing evening activities include taking a warm bath or shower, relaxing to soothing classical or jazz music, and reading a funny book. Consider lighting some aromatherapy candles such as lavender to relax and wind down your evening. Deep breathing techniques and meditation prior to bedtime can also help you relax and get to sleep. Don't think about finances either.

Limit your bedroom activities to sleeping and having sex — don't use it to eat in, study, play on the computer or pay bills. Make your bedroom quiet, cool and dark. To trigger sleep quickly, it's important to make your bedroom or sleeping space as quiet, calm, cool and dark as you can make it. Loud noises, activity, higher temperatures and light all make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep, so minimize or eliminate each one. Don't use bright or noisy clocks near your bed.

Choose a silent battery operated one, but don't place it within full view. Watching the time pass can increase anxiety and trigger sleeplessness. Make sure your mattress and pillow are comfortable. Most people do best with firm orthopedic mattresses, although some like soft beds. If you're always waking up sore, you need to change something. Pay attention to what you eat and drink.

Consuming food and beverages in the evening often have a big impact on sleep. Eating before bedtime isn't ideal because it can cause an energy burst and increase your risk of painful bloating, indigestion or heartburn. On the other hand, not eating for many hours prior to bedtime can lead to hunger pains, a grumbling stomach and food fixation. Some foods contain tryptophan and glutamine, amino acids which promote sleepiness.

As such, consider having a turkey sandwich with cheese on whole grain bread for an evening snack. Caffeinated beverages coffee, black tea, hot chocolate, colas, energy drinks should also be avoided in the evening because caffeine stimulates neurons in the brain and keeps you alert. Alcohol also disrupts sleep. Although it can make most people drowsy, it typically leads to restless sleep.

Avoid alcohol in the evening if you want to sleep soundly and wake up rested. Get some exercise in during the day. Regular physical activity during the day helps you to fall asleep faster and to enjoy deeper sleeps. As such, exercise either in the mornings or before dinner when you can capitalize on the energy boost, but not within a few hours of bedtime — unless it's just a leisurely walk after dinner.

If you don't have an exercise routine yet, start with at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity walking, hiking, cycling daily and mix in some weight training a few times per week. Exercise burns calories and promotes weight loss, which can improve the quality of your sleep.

People who are overweight tend to experience more aches, pains, digestive problems and breathing issues, which can disrupt sleep. Real vigorous exercise weight training, boxing, martial arts, swimming increases your body's production of adrenaline and testosterone especially in men , which prevents sleep.

Thus, avoid such activity at least five hours prior to bedtime. Limit daytime naps. This cycle can prevent sound sleep at night when you it the most.

If you really need a nap during the day, limit yourself to less than 30 minutes a "power nap" and take it well before dinner.