Spending your nights tossing and turning, searching for sleep, can be one of the most frustrating experiences. Many of us crave an instant ability to fall asleep and yet so many of us struggle to achieve this. Why is that? 

Many times it has to do with our nightly routine or our daily lives. You may feel as though you have tried every recommended remedy to sleep well at night and nothing has helped. If this is you then a sleep coach may be perfect for you. Sleep coaches are individuals that use proven methods to help create a plan that will ensure that you get the best sleep possible. At Sleepably in Denver, CO we offer free consultations so that you can begin your journey to getting the sleep that you deserve. 

If you are not ready to make an appointment with a sleep coach just yet, here are some DIY ways to help you fall asleep in the meantime. 

Lavender

Lavender is not just a pretty color, it is also a plant that has been found to have therapeutic properties. It can be used to help you feel relaxed and to promote sleep. There are a few different ways that you can add lavender to your daily routine. 

• You can spray your pillow with lavender oil pillow spray. Create a pillow spray by mixing a few drops of lavender oil, water, and witch hazel. This combination will help you to continuously breathe in the calming scent of lavender as you sleep. 

• Along the lines of breathing in the smell of lavender, you can add lavender essential oil to a diffuser. This will allow the aroma to permeate the air as you sleep. 

• You can also consume lavender through lavender tea and lavender capsules. Be sure to check with a doctor before consuming lavender as it may have some side effects. 

The wonderful thing about using lavender is that it has been proven to lower anxiety and reduce pain which can help you relax enough to fall asleep. 

Massage

A good massage can not only feel amazing, but it can also help you to relax. Also, massages can help those that struggle with insomnia as well as reduce discomfort and depression. Some professional masseuses can help by applying pressure to specific pressure points that help to reduce stress. If this is not an option for you, you can try giving yourself a massage or asking a friend to give you one. Make sure to research safe and effective techniques beforehand.

Exercise

Getting at least 20 minutes of exercise per day can help you to relax, make you feel better, and sleep better. You don’t need to engage in vigorous exercise to experience these positive effects. Moderate exercise such as a brisk walk every day has been proven to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. 

When committing to adding exercise to your daily routine remember to first take into account your schedule. You don’t want to work out too late in the day because it can leave you feeling energized when you are ready to go to sleep. The next thing that you should consider is your physical health. Do not push yourself to do excessive strenuous exercise if your body is not in the condition to do so. Pushing yourself too hard can leave you hurting which can hinder your ability to find a comfortable position to sleep in. 

Yoga

Another type of physical activity that you can try is yoga. Yoga not only involves a physical movement of your body which helps to reduce stress, it involves breathing techniques. Breathing techniques can be used to help your body to relax. Practicing the slow and controlled movements and breathing of yoga can help you to be in the moment instead of focusing on events that may be stressing you out. 

As with exercise doing yoga daily for 20-minute intervals will help you to unwind, leaving you calm and able to sleep. 

Hot Drink

Drinking a warm drink can help you relax as well as bring back some fond memories. Several different warm drinks have been found to help relax the body. A couple of them include:

• Warm milk: Drinking warm milk when you can’t sleep is not just something that your grandma tells you to do. The interaction of the chemicals within the warm milk and the chemicals in your brain are believed to work to increase the release of serotonin in the brain. This helps you to fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow. 

• Hot Tea: Drinking a cup of sleepy-time tea, or nighty-night tea, can help your brain begin to unwind from the day. It is recommended that you drink chamomile tea, as there is no caffeine in it to keep you awake. Enjoying a warm cup of tea 30 minutes before bedtime can help calm your nerves, and begin to relax your body so that deep sleep can happen. 

Take a bath

There are many benefits of taking a nice warm bath before bed. The first being that it helps you to feel clean after a long day. In addition to that, a warm bath can help to regulate your body temperature. Bringing your body temperature down helps your body to excite the fight or flight sensation and relax so that you can have a sound sleep. Breathing in the calming aromas of your bath and being able to soak in warm water will allow your mind to decompress from the day’s events, leaving you relaxed. 

Food

Certain foods are thought to help promote sleep. These foods are thought to help one sleep better because of the chemicals that they contain and the effect that they have on your body. Some of these foods include:

• Walnuts
• Fatty Fish
• Turkey 
• Almonds

The properties of these foods can help you to sleep. So instead of reaching for the ice cream or the popcorn, which will keep you awake longer at night, try one of these foods. 

Create an environment that invites sleep

Having an overstimulating environment will make it harder for you to sleep at night. There are many different things that our brains begin to fixate on when we are trying to relax, by removing them we can help our brains to wind down. Some ways to create a healthy sleep environment are:

• Having the thermostat at a comfortable temperature. This will help you from becoming overheated or cold while you sleep. Being one or the other will make it harder for your body to relax into a deep sleep. 

• Remove all lights from the room. Having lights within your sleep space tricks your brain into thinking that it is daytime and thus time to be awake. By removing this distraction from your sleep area you will find you can fall asleep much faster. 

• Remove any distracting noises from your bedroom. Having the TV on while you sleep not only will keep you awake longer because of the light, it will also be from the noise. When someone is talking, even if it is from a show, our brains like to stay alert to that voice. By eliminating the sound you will find you can relax much faster. 

If you find that you are continuing to struggle with falling asleep, or staying asleep, at night after trying these home remedies for good sleep you may want to call Sleepably to make that free consultation appointment. Our experienced professionals will help direct you to the remedy and plan that will help you to sleep soundly. We believe that everyone should have a good night’s sleep and we went to help you obtain the sleep that you deserve.