1. Stop Watching The Clock
Watching the clock increases anxiety and will make it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Avoid checking the clock every few minutes to see how long you have been awake or how much time it is taking to fall asleep. If you have a bedside clock, turn it around so that you don’t see the time.
Reading a book instead of looking at the clock is a good way to distract your brain from time passing by and will help make you sleepy. Make a cup of decaf tea or coffee or drink a glass of warm milk. Finish a few light chores that are bothering you. Any activity that distracts the brain from checking the time will be helpful.
2. Ease Lower Back Pain With Pillows
There is nothing quite like pain, especially in the lower back, to keep you awake at night. Research has found that people who report suffering with chronic or acute lower back pain also report having poor sleep quality. Interestingly, the severity of the pain did not reflect the level of sleep disturbance.
If you do suffer from lower back pain, sleeping on your side can help reduce pressure and alleviate the pain. Placing a pillow between the knees will further reduce the pain by ensuring that the hips are aligned. Choose a mattress that is firmer for better lumbar support. Read these Slumber Search Hybrid reviews. Bend at the knees and swing both your legs together when getting in and out of bed.
3. Neck Position
Pain in the neck is another common reason why many people have trouble sleeping. Good posture is a good way to overcome the cause of neck pain and ensure a better night’s rest. Ensure that your neck is in a “neutral” position when you lie down. A neutral position means that the nose should align with the center of the body.
To attain this neutral position, you pillow needs to be the ideal height. A pillow that is too high or too low will mean that your neck is at an angle when you are sleeping causing pressure on muscles, tendons and nerves. Measure the distance from the end of the shoulder to the neck and choose a pillow that is the same height. Add one pillow to accommodate the depression created by the weight of your head. Memory foam pillows that mold to the shape of your neck and head are also a good choice. Avoid sleeping on your front which causes your neck to twist creating additional pressure on nerves.
4. Address Allergy Issues
Allergies can interfere with your ability to get quality sleep. A stuffy nose, the sniffles, sneezing and coughing -which are all symptoms of allergies – can result in difficulty breathing, snoring and wheezing that make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Ensuring that your bedroom is an allergen-free zone can help prevent allergy symptoms flaring up at sleep time. Dust mites are a common issue for allergy sufferers. Use dust-mite proof covers that have zippers on your mattress, box spring and pillows to reduce exposure to these tiny critters. Invest in sheets and other bed linen that is hypoallergenic. Microfiber helps prevent mold, mildew and dust mites which all aggravate allergies. Wash your bedding regularly with hypoallergenic detergent in water that is at least 130 degrees F to kill dust mites and other allergens. Ensure bedding is properly dry before replacing. Keep pet dander in the bedroom to a minimum by keeping pets out.
Use You Bed For Bedroom Activities Only
The bedroom should ideally be only for sleep and sex. If you do other activities like work or watch TV in bed, your brain may become overstimulated and have greater difficulty falling asleep. Keep your phone, TV and computer out of the bedroom to avoid stimulating activities before bed. This will also allow your brain to associate the bedroom with sleep, calm and relaxation which will help you fall asleep faster in the future and stay asleep for longer. If you can’t fall asleep, get up and do some light chores or activities that aren’t stimulating outside of the bedroom .