1. Consciously and deliberately reduce your stress before you turn in for the night. Deep breathing and visualization exercises in the bath or the shower can help you release pent up anxieties. Progressive tightening and relaxing of muscle groups can attain true relaxation. Conscious relaxation of all the muscle groups makes one more aware of where the tension is, and helps address specific areas. Neck, shoulder, stomach, and face areas are common places for holding stress.
2. Consider having a bedtime "toddy" prior to turning in. It can take the edge off the stress just enough to allow you to be able to attain a deeper level of relaxation. This, of course, can be combined with other forms of relaxation you find helpful.
3. Make love! Yes, the afterglow of lovemaking is relaxing, brings harmony to a sometimes stressful relationship, and helps the love-maker feel supported and nurtured. In addition to the psychological experience of making love, chemical reactions in the body assist in bringing about a deeper relaxation to the muscles.
4. Watch caffeine intake. Some people say they can drink coffee, tea, or sodas all day and that they sleep like a baby. Maybe you are not one of those people. If you are a coffee or tea drinker, try to limit your beverages to earlier in the day. The earlier the better. You may wish to explore decaffeinated coffee, tea, or soda brands. Initially they may taste different, but you can quickly become accustomed to the new taste and might even prefer it. Even if you only switch off to the decaffeinated beverages in the latter parts of the day, it can help. Try to avoid coffee with dinner or after about five o'clock, if possible.
5. Try a natural sleep remedy. There are very effective, non-habit forming remedies you can purchase over the counter. Products such as melatonin, valerian, calcium tablets, tryptophan and homeopathic preparations are only a few of the surprisingly potent but safe sleep inducers. These can be purchased without a prescription in drug stores, health food stores, or even some grocery stores that have a pharmacy or vitamin section.
6. Use "white noise" to block out sound and create a meditative focus. White noise can be any gentle, repetitive or low-key sound. This can be produced by the hum of a clock, the swish of a small fan, or an electronic device called a "white noise" machine. White noise can be the recorded sound of waves on the shore, wind, rain, birds or music. It should be a gentle and comforting sound, one that is consistent and pleasant or even a bit monotonous.
7. Use memory foam pillows. These are very comfortable and popular with people who have neck or head problems as they are supportive and configure themselves to the shape of the body. Try to find the heavier kind of memory foam pillow as they tend to be more effective and are a better quality. Memory foam reduces pressure on the face, neck and head which helps keep neck vertebrae aligned properly.
8. Train your brain to expect a regular bed time. When your mind knows what is expected, it can begin its own "preparation" for sleep which involves releasing chemicals from areas of the brain designed to help us sleep. When bed time varies each night up to two to three hours, the mind may have more difficulty "getting ready" when we are.
9. Prepare everything for the next morning. Thinking about how we must "hit the deck running" the next morning can cause tension the night before, in anticipation of stress. Put out your clothes, have your light breakfast ready and prepare any other tasks ahead of time. Eliminate any unnecessary activities for the next morning and perform them at a more convenient time. You might consider getting up 15 minutes earlier each morning to allow yourself more time, if each morning is a battlefield just to get out the door.
10. Be aware of bodily comfort when you are trying to fall asleep. Maybe you need to invest in a softer or harder mattress. Perhaps your pillows are uncomfortable. If you have pain, you may find that a body pillow or pillow-top mattress cover is helpful. Some people like a foam mattress pad under them to relieve pressure points. Is someone crowding you in bed? If you cannot sleep in your favorite position due to someone else's position, that can cause sleeplessness. This includes pets that can be bed or "pillow hogs." If pets are part of the problem, make other arrangements for them.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Family activities may impact your sleep. Sometimes we are so focused on our own sleeplessness, we do not notice that the family is part of the problem. If children are still playing or talking in a nearby room, this is disruptive for you. They may not be getting enough sleep, either. Helping children prepare for sleep the same way you do, can help them go to sleep also. If your spouse stays up long into the night, shuffling papers or making noise around the house, you may need to figure ways that this activity can be eliminated, limited, or moved to another part of the house when you are trying to sleep.
Make a good night's sleep a priority. When you adopt healthier sleep habits and take better care of your own sleep needs, you will notice that your energy levels are higher, you are more alert during the day, and your thinking ability is more efficient. Learn to enjoy your sleep time. Make it all that it can be, so you will look forward to the experience nightly.
