If you struggle with insomnia (tens of millions of people do!), research has a pretty consistent answer for you: your thoughts and habits have a lot of power to get you to fall asleep and sleep soundly.
For instance, if you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get up—do something that relaxes you, be productive (especially if it’s worry spinning your head awake), or just do some very light exercise (putter around the house).
But it all starts with good sleep hygiene—building habits that encourage sleep. They include making sure your bedroom is good for sleep with regard to all 5 senses—clean sheets/comfortable mattress, calming smell, no light (including your phone!), no noise or white noise, etc.
It’s important to have a consistent sleep schedule. You might think you’re adjusting to a different weekend pattern just fine, but really, there’s some important cycles that occur in the middle of the night that don’t shift so easily, even if you think you’re going to bed/waking up OK.
And diet absolutely matters. If you’re on a traditional schedule, cut caffeine out after 2pm and limit alcohol and other drugs.
For more sleep hygiene tips click here!
Why make the changes? Not getting enough sleep—less than 7-9 hours (you can trick yourself to feeling like 6 is enough, but it’s not, the effects are the same) can cause numerous health problems, or just make them worse. It can also lead to accidents, car accidents, workplace accidents, and more. With enough sleep, you can think better, workout more, and just generally be more productive—even though you’re spending more time in bed.
If you struggle with getting more than 6 hours, try getting a nap in. Naps actually work really well as a refresher.
And putting in the effort to solve insomnia has another benefit: it works better than most sleeping pills (which also have the risk of forming an addiction). Sleeping pills (you know which ones) don’t give you true sleep—that’s why they cause such funny behavior. Instead, try natural sleep support. Nite MGR is a melatonin based natural sleep aid—rather than making you pass out, it supports actual sleep. Pair it with the minerals in Cal Mag Complete for more nighttime support (your body does a lot of repair while you sleep!). Get a deal with Colloids for Life’s Sleep Support Combo Pack!
