We’ve all experienced sleep problems. Insomnia is one of the most common sleep issues that can have an impact on your daily life. The basics of insomnia include difficulties in falling asleep and/or maintaining quality sleep. As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult to function upon waking and face the day with adequate energy. Read on to learn some helpful habits you can use to increase your sleep drive and prevent your insomnia.
Establish a regular sleep/wake schedule
This helps your body get used to a routine, which can help promote better sleep. Try going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning as much as possible.
The more consistent you are with your schedule, the more likely you will be able to fall asleep quickly when it’s time for bed.
Use light to help wake up during the day
Light plays a big role in your circadian rhythm, which regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Light tells your body when it’s time to be active, and when it’s time to rest. If you’re waking up tired and sluggish all day long, then you could have a light deficiency. The easiest way to fix this issue is by getting some natural sunlight every day.
During winter months (or anytime you live where there’s not much sun), consider using a SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) lightbox or another type of full spectrum light source that mimics natural sunlight. You can also try using a dawn simulator alarm clock, which gradually increases light levels as the sun rises each morning. This helps reset your circadian rhythm so that it better matches daytime hours with more energy and alertness instead of fatigue and drowsiness during those hours!
Get moving!
Move more throughout the day. You don’t need to be physically active every minute of every day but try to get up and move around every hour or so if possible.
Doing some light activity can help increase your body’s sleep drive. Go for a walk, do some yoga poses, or even just stretch in the middle of the room. This will help you stay awake and active during the day, which will keep your body ready for sleep at night.
Engage in social interaction to light up the brain
Humans are social creatures, so when we’re lacking in face-to-face interaction, our brains tend to start showing signs of depression—and that includes a lack of sleep drive.
So, while it might be tempting to stay in bed all day when you’re having trouble sleeping, getting out of your room and spending time with people is an excellent way to boost your sleep drive. If possible, try talking about something interesting or engaging with someone who makes you laugh until you feel sleepy again!
Avoid caffeine 8 hours before bedtime
Caffeine can keep you awake for hours after drinking it, so if you’re having trouble falling asleep at night or staying asleep throughout the night, try cutting back on your caffeine during the day (and late afternoon).
If you must have caffeine with dinner or something else in the evening, do not drink coffee past 4 pm. Instead, switch to tea or another low-caffeine drink like decaf coffee or herbal tea.
Try non-conventional therapies
If you’re having trouble falling asleep, it can be difficult to know what to do. It’s tempting to reach for a sleeping pill, but this method is not always effective and can have side effects. Instead, try non-conventional therapies like acupuncture, tui na, and reiki. These therapies use energy work to balance the body’s energy flow, which can help your body fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Insomnia is a serious problem that can have a major impact on the quality of your life. It can make you feel tired and irritable, which leads to more stress at home and work. It’s important to treat insomnia as soon as possible because it’s likely to get worse over time.
To boost your sleep drive and prevent insomnia, reach out to My Rest!