Do you find it difficult to fall asleep at night?
And do you keep twisting and turning trying to find the perfect sleep position that will allow you to drift off into dreamland?
Do you wish you could get a good night’s sleep so you can be more energized and productive throughout your day?
If you said yes to any of these questions, then this article is definitely for you.
Getting enough rest is extremely important if you want to be productive.
So in this article, I’m sharing with you some tips and tricks that have helped me to sleep soundly and wake up feeling rested and refreshed.
If you want to get a good night sleep and wake up refreshed, then make sure to try these tips for a better night’s rest. You may find that a combination of the tips will give you the best results.
How To Get A Good Night Rest And Wake Up Refreshed
1) Exercise regularly
You may be wondering how can exercise help you fall asleep.
Studies have shown that exercise helps you to have deeper sleep cycles. So you’re less likely to have sleep disruptions and more likely to wake up feeling rested and refreshed.
You may even realize that moderate to vigorous exercise will help you to feel tired at night so it will be much easier to fall asleep.
You will spend less time twisting and turning in bed which means that you can get more hours of restful sleep.
I have also noticed that exercise helps me quiet my mind which keeps in me a more relaxed state. This makes it easier to sleep at night.
If you want to know more about how exercise improved my mental health, click here to read the article I wrote about that.
Suggested Article: How Exercise Improved My Mental Health
2) Avoid caffeine, especially in the afternoon
Caffeine is a stimulant so it can help you to be alert but it may also affect your ability to fall asleep. That’s why it’s best to avoid consuming caffeine if you have difficulty falling asleep.
If you must take caffeine, make sure you do so before noon to increase your chances of getting a good night rest.
So you may need to cut out or cut back on coffee, energy drinks and tea.
3) Avoid drinking fluids close to bedtime
I included this tip because drinking fluids can increase the number of times you have to wake up in the night to use the restroom.
Hence too much consumption of fluid can interrupt your sleep cycle and make it hard to fall asleep or go back to sleep.
This can affect the quantity and quality of sleep that you get. So you may sleep for 7 or 8 hours but still wake up feeling tired because you didn’t get much deep sleep.
You may want to stop drinking fluids such as water, tea, juice or alcoholic beverages at least 2 hours before bedtime. You will need to experiment a bit to see what works for you.
4) Don’t go to bed hungry
You may realize that if you’re really hungry, it’s difficult to fall asleep. This could be due to the fact that your stomach is hurting you so the pain makes it uncomfortable to relax and drift off into dreamland.
It’s also likely that your brain will start to focus on hunger and start thinking about getting food for satisfaction.
If your thoughts are focused on hunger and possible solutions, then it will be harder for you to relax and fall asleep.
You may try eating light snacks before bedtime like:
- crackers and peanut butter
- crackers and cheese
- nuts like almonds
5) Go to bed at the same time every night
If you want to get a good night rest and wake up feeling refreshed, try going to bed at the same time every night.
Your body likes routines so choosing a bedtime and sticking to it will help your body to start winding down at the same time every night.
This will make it much easier to fall asleep so you can get more rest each night.
It will take some time for your body to develop the pattern so you have to be consistent in order to reap the benefits. I don’t know exactly how long it will take because our bodies respond differently but try to stick with it for 30 days.
Creating a nighttime routine can also help you to wind down and fall asleep quicker.
Suggested Article: How to Create a Night-Time Routine
6) Make your bedroom as dark as possible
Your body produces melatonin naturally which is a hormone that helps to promote sleep. Studies have shown that darkness prompts the production of melatonin while light tends to inhibit its production.
So making your bedroom as dark as possible will help to stimulate the production of melatonin which is likely to make it easier to fall asleep.
You can make your bedroom dark by using thick dark-coloured curtains and turning off all lights.
You can also use an eye mask and put away all screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
7) Pray
If you are worried and your thoughts keep running, it may be really difficult for you to fall asleep. You may be wondering about your future or problems that seem insurmountable.
Worrying will not change anything. It’s best if you pray about those anxieties and problems. Praying will do far more than worrying will ever do.
Then choose to believe that God will take care of you and the issues you’re facing. Ask Him for His peace and wisdom to navigate this season of your life.
Also, take the time to ask God for a good night’s rest. He cares about you and the quality and quantity of sleep that you get. Your body is His temple.
One of my favourite passages in the Bible is Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT). Take some time to meditate on it.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
Suggested Article: 15 Powerful Biblical Affirmations for Christian Women
8) Try aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the practice of using scents to help you relax. Persons who do aromatherapy tend to use essential oils such as lavender oil or spearmint oil to help them wind down and fall asleep.
You can simply inhale the essential oil or you can use a diffuser to permeate your room. You will notice that as you inhale the aroma, your mood will change and you will feel calmer. This will make it much easier to fall asleep.
You can purchase essential oils and a diffuser on Amazon.
Suggested Article: 7 Self-Care Items To Help You Relax
9) Practise deep breathing
Deep breathing is a very effective technique that helps to relax the nervous system which makes it easier for you to fall asleep.
Some studies even show that deep breathing aids in the production of melatonin which is a sleep-inducing hormone.
It’s a natural technique that helps to provide relief for your weary mind and increase your feelings of relaxation so you can fall asleep with ease.
The good thing about deep breathing is that you don’t need any additional tools or resources to start. Just take a deep breath and bask in its benefits!
10) Play relaxing music
Music is powerful and it can definitely have an impact on your mood. If you want a boost of energy, play some upbeat music and you will feel happier and perkier.
Likewise, if you want to feel more relaxed, then play music that will help to quiet your mind and calm you down.
You can try listening to classical music or you can listen to music that has been specially composed for relaxation.
I like listening to the piano being played slowly with sounds of nature. Click here to listen to the YouTube video that I listen to when I want to calm my nervous system so I can fall asleep easily.
You can start playing relaxing music anywhere from about 30 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime.
Suggested YouTube Video: Relaxing Music with Nature Sounds – Waterfall
Takeaway
Each person is unique and our bodies respond differently. Some tips will help you more than others but you won’t know which ones are right for you until you try them.
So take some time to experiment with the various suggestions and pay attention to what helps you to relax and fall asleep with ease.
I really hope that you will find these tips helpful if you want a good night rest so you can wake up refreshed and ready to start your day.
I hope these tips will help you to be more alert and productive as you work on achieving your goals and fulfilling your purpose.
You may also consult with your doctor for medical advice and assistance.
Here is a summary of the tips for quick reference:
1) Exercise regularly
2) Avoid caffeine, especially in the afternoon
3) Avoid drinking fluids close to bedtime
4) Don’t go to bed hungry
5) Go to bed at the same time every night
6) Make your bedroom as dark as possible
7) Pray
8) Try aromatherapy
9) Practise deep breathing
10) Play relaxing music
And if you’re looking for tips to wake up early without feeling tired then make sure to check out this video where I share 5 tips to help you.