10 Ways to Help You Fall Asleep (when you can’t)

You didn’t sleep well last night and today you’ve run around exhausted, desperately wanting an afternoon nap. Now it’s bedtime again and you’re laying awake in bed unable to fall asleep. Sound familiar?

You’re not alone as 45% of Americans report having inadequate sleep at least once per week. Americans report having adequate sleep quantity (time), but inadequate quality. Sleeping poorly not only affects our mood, but our productivity, immunity, & health.  It has been shown that those with poor sleep also tend to have more chronic health conditions meaning your quality (& quantity) of life is also decreased.

How to Determine If You Need More Sleep

• How many hours of sleep do you need to feel energized?
• Do you have chronic health issues, such as being overweight, that could affect your sleep?
• Do you currently experience sleep problems?
• Do you find yourself reaching for that afternoon coffee?
• Do you quickly tire while driving?

Improve Your Sleep

1. During the day, get sunlight.  Getting out in the sun raises our serotonin levels.  Serotonin helps to produce melatonin, which is the hormone that helps us sleep.
2. Exercise (almost) daily.  This doesn’t have to be vigorous exercise either.  So go to youtube or doyogawithme.com and pick a class, or go out for a walk, even if you aren’t really feeling up for it.  This will also help keep off weight that can cause problems such as sleep apnea.
3. Avoid blue light.  This is light from phones, televisions, tablets, and computers. Justin and I are trying to move our phones out of the bedroom, but we keep them plugged into our master bathroom since we use them as an alarm.  Having these lights in the bedroom sends conflicting signals to your brain too. Instead of producing melatonin when the sun goes does, it thinks you should be awake!
4. Ensure you’re getting enough magnesium.  I have heard that our soil is becoming magnesium deficient so even the best diets can be lacking in magnesium.  When I was pregnant, if I didn’t supplement magnesium or take an epsom salt bath, it was a guarantee I was going to be restless that night and wake up from leg cramps.  Now, I find myself sleeping much better if I take a magnesium supplement throughout the day and rub magnesium lotion into my calves at night.
5. Don’t consume alcohol and caffeine in the evening.  It seems like alcohol should help you sleep, right? Although it makes you sleepy, it can actually disrupt REM sleep, making it harder for you to get a restful nights sleep.  Also, don’t reach for that 3pm cup of joe.  It’s effects can linger and make it harder for you to fall asleep.
6. Diffuse relaxing essential oils.  This include chamomile, lavender, bergamot, ylang ylang, or a relaxing blend.  If you’re using them in your kid’s room, ensure they’re safe for the age your children are and you’ve used them safely around them previously.
7. Sleep at the right temperature.  A Cleveland Clinic study showed that the ideal bedroom temp was between 60-67*F. This doesn’t mean you need to crack down the A/C at night, but maybe invest in a fan and ensure you have a cooling pillow and mattress topper.
8. Keep a journal next to your bed.  I’m an over thinker. Unfortunately, these rampant thoughts usually come while I’m laying in bed trying to relax. I find that if I write down the things I want to do, need to buy, etc it helps my brain chill out for bed.
9. Listen to a bedtime podcast or soothing music. You can search “sleep meditations” to find some really good ones or head over to this one. I personally enjoy the muscle tension ones that have me focus on relaxing all my muscles before settling in.
10. Create a bedtime routine. I cannot stress this enough. If you’ve been struggling with sleep for awhile, you’ve got to get into a routine. Drink some relaxing tea, read a book, & turn down the lights. Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to start your wind down time. Sleep is extremely important for your hormonal, physical, and mental health!

What About Melatonin Supplements?

As mentioned above, melatonin is the hormone responsible for helping us feel sleepy. It is needed to get us asleep and the above suggestions can help get you in tune with your circadian rhythm.  Many companies are now creating melatonin supplements and labeling them as natural sleep remedies.  Unfortunately, drugs that effect hormones can have lasting effects on the body.  This include steroids, birth control pills, etc. This means your body may decrease the amount present since you’re supplementing with it, which can worsen your quality of sleep in the long run.

I personally have never tried it, but have read studies looking at tart cherry juice for sleep. I’ve even heard of moms that are breastfeeding drinking it and it helping their restless babies too.

Consult Your Provider

If you try the above suggestions or have questions, always consult your healthcare provider.  They can always run tests to look at your thyroid and adrenal functions, vitamin and mineral levels in the blood, or make a referral for a sleep study. These can help rule out problems that can cause you to feel sleepy or cause unrestful sleep.

Have you encountered sleep problems? What did or didn’t work for you?

Thank you so much for coming to visit! I really appreciate you.

XO Meghan

As always, this is not intended to be medical advice and is to be used for educational purposes only.