How to Get That Much Needed Sleep

It’s often very difficult for the average person to get to sleep, stay asleep all night, and wake up feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning. When counting sheep just doesn’t cut it, but sleeping pills are way too extreme, what can you do to make sure you wake up on the right side of the bed every morning?

Lullaby

One thing I find helpful when I’m struggling to nod off is listening to relaxing music. I’m not suggesting you pop in your headphones and drift off to the tunes of Beethoven, but a playlist of the slower songs in your collection can really help you get to sleep. Just make sure none of the songs you choose give you a strong urge to get up and dance, because this will have the exact opposite effect.

Bedtime Stories

Reading before bed is a good way to wind down and can help to get you to sleep. I find reading my uni textbooks is enough to make me go straight to sleep (even when I don’t want to), but whatever you like to read will do just fine.

However, you might want to avoid action packed fiction that you just can’t put down. Instead of helping you fall asleep it might keep you up until dawn trying to figure out who the killer is.

Winding Down

If you try to go from a gripping film or an intense video game straight to bed, it may be difficult to nod off. The same applies if you’ve just been out on the town or at a party. Always give yourself some downtime before hitting the sack, so you can leave the excitement behind and give yourself time to relax.

Midnight Snacks

Certain foods and beverages can help you get to sleep, while others will keep you up. Cherries are full of melatonin, which is also found in the body and helps regulate sleep. Dairy products and carbs are also good for before bed, as they make it easier to fall asleep. So, the classic warm milk trick really does work.

Also helpful are lavender scented products, like moisturiser or oils. Some things to avoid if you’re keen to fall asleep right away are caffeine (obviously), apples, peppermint flavoured or scented products and spicy foods.

Hopefully these tips will help you get to sleep quickly, and keep those dark circles from appearing under your eyes.