Simple Sleep Hacks to Help You Get to Sleep Faster

9. Eat a Banana Before Bedtime Fruits are not only good at keeping the doctor away but did you know that they can also help you… Trista - June 15, 2022

9. Eat a Banana Before Bedtime

Fruits are not only good at keeping the doctor away but did you know that they can also help you fall asleep? Bananas, are known to reduce stress, relieve muscle cramps, and help your body regulate its sleep-wake cycle to improve your sleep quality. Just a medium-sized banana is enough for you to experience the difference. Not a fan of bananas? Other foods can help you achieve the same effect, such as tart cherries, beans, and chamomile tea. Of course, you should discuss any dietary changes with your doctor first to ensure that you’ll benefit from these foods instead of harming your overall health.

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8. Try a Hot Bath Before Bed to Have Better Sleep

Most people shower in the morning before they go to work as a great start to their day, but did you know that a hot bath can have the opposite effect on your body? Scientific studies have shown that having a hot bath 90 minutes before your bedtime can significantly decrease the amount of time it takes for you to fall asleep. The hot water actually changes your body’s core temperature to lower it by the time you get to bed. Furthermore, this drop in temperature signals your body that it’s time for bed.

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7. Have a Cut-Off Time for Caffeine Use

Caffeine is excellent at getting you up in the morning, but it’s not great for your overall sleep cycle, especially if you’re drinking coffee throughout the day. It takes about six to eight hours for caffeine to leave your system completely, so if you’re drinking coffee after 2 in the afternoon, you will have difficulty falling asleep. Drinking caffeine has also been shown to reduce the slow-wave sleep period, which means you’re not getting as much deep sleep as your body needs. It would be good to limit the amount of caffeine you have in a given day, especially cutting caffeine off around noon.

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6. Exercise In the Morning Instead of at Night to Sleep Better

Many people argue over the best time to work out during the day. People who go for nighttime workouts say that it helps them fall asleep faster, while those who go for morning workouts say that it boosts metabolism. So who’s right? Actually, neither. The time of day doesn’t make a difference; the routine determines how well it works. Pick a time and stick with it. If you workout at random times of the day, your body isn’t getting into the habit of exercising, so it never knows what to prepare for. However, if you exercise at the same time every day, your body knows exactly when it’s going to happen and will prepare itself accordingly.

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5. Set an Alarm to Go to Bed

Just as your body is prepared to wake up in the morning at a particular time when you have an alarm set, you can train your body to do the same thing in order to get ready for bed. Start setting a sleep alarm, so you force yourself to put everything down and get into bed. Repeating this process regularly will train your brain to prepare for sleep, making it easier to fall asleep at night. It’s best not to use the same sound you use for your morning alarm, as this can confuse your brain and prepare for the day instead of the opposite.

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4. Stop Doing Homework or Projects in Bed

If you really want to fall asleep, please put the homework and other projects you have aside. Your bed should only be for sleeping, not getting work done. There are three main reasons you shouldn’t do work in bed. One, being in bed limits your focus. You’re getting nice and warm under the covers, so you’re not going to have the attention you need to dedicate to your projects anyway. Secondly, your bed doesn’t afford you the amount of space you need to be productive anyway, so you’re still not going to get as much work done. Thirdly, you’ll harm your chances of falling asleep because you’re forcing your brain to be awake instead of preparing for bed.

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3. Sleep in a Dark Environment

Light is one of the most important factors when it comes to regulating your circadian rhythm. When it’s light out, you have more energy; when it gets dark, your body prepares for sleep. That’s why during winter, when the sunlight hours are shorter, you may feel more tired than usual. However, with the advent of modern electricity, the human body feels more alert than before long after the sun goes down. Furthermore, because people keep electronic devices in their rooms that add more light to the atmosphere, they can have more difficulty falling asleep. The way to combat this is to keep your bedroom as dark as possible.

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2. Try 4-7-8 Breathing Methods For Better Sleep

Breathing is an essential part of controlling your stress and anxiety. It’s why you focus on your breathing during yoga; by slowing it down and taking deeper breaths, you’re increasing oxygen to your brain to feel calmer. You can implement those same methods when lying in bed to help you fall asleep much faster. One of these breathing methods is the 4-7-8 method. To start, inhale through your nose for a slow count of four. Hold your breath for about seven seconds, and then exhale slowly for eight seconds through your mouth. Try to practice these breathing methods regularly so that you don’t have to dedicate too much thought to it while lying in bed. Repeat for at least four cycles, and you should start to feel more relaxed.

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1. Read a Book Before Bedtime to Sleep Better

We all read bedtime stories as children, so it’s a given that reading before bed can help your mind relax before bed. There are several reasons why it works; it reduces stress and anxiety, it can make you more creative the next day, and it decreases the amount of time you spend in front of blue light. Reading can help improve overall concentration when completing tasks throughout the day. Why? Because you are training your brain to process information more slowly.

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