Switching Off

Battling Insomnia

Fighting insomnia is an uphill battle. When you are trying to cure insomnia, you are actually trying to stop your mind from being too active at night. There is no reason to be afraid of staying up for countless nights in a row and wondering if it is all going to end.

Worrying will only bring about sleepless nights. So stop battling insomnia in your head! All that you need to do is ‘Switch Off’ your monkey brain.

At night, you want your mind to slow down to the point where you can quickly fall asleep. Having a proper amount of sleep helps you to stay fully alert the next day, and ensures a good night rest. One of the reasons why people struggle to fall asleep is because their monkey brain refuse to shut down. More often than not, they start thinking about useless things that serve no purpose but only hinder them from falling asleep.

Switching off needs practice. For many busy adults, the only time they reflect upon their lives is during bedtime! It’s good to reflect once in a while, but not during bedtime. Often times, this is the biggest culprit that stops you from falling asleep.

So for those who want to reflect on their lives, consider waking up earlier to have time in the morning to do so or even schedule some time in the evening to do some reflection.

Stimulating Night = Bad Sleep

Another reason why people fail to switch off is that they have many activities at night that are over stimulating, causing them to stay awake instead of feeling tired. Some even love to have caffeine at night! No wonder people are struggling to fall asleep! So stay away from coffee, from your mobile phones, laptops, televisions when it’s bedtime. Avoid activities that force you to think and require physical exertion at night. And most importantly, avoid ‘Blue-screen’ from the electronic devices.

Never Miss Another Night of Sleep

Another key to fall asleep is to schedule your sleep. Most people don’t do that. Instead, they choose to fall asleep only when they’re tired. But what they should do instead is to set up their routine and schedule their bedtime. Upon repetitions, your mind will be conditioned to switch off when the clock hits the usual hour to fall asleep.

Having a regular sleep routine is arguably the best technique to ensure a better quality sleep. In fact, our bodies thrive on consistent sleep schedule and regularity. Although there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, having a consistent sleep routine will definitely help in beating chronic insomnia once and for all.

How To ‘Switch Off’ At Night

The first thing you should do after you have eaten dinner and cleaned up for the night is turn off any of your electronic devices. Having your phone or computer switched on when you are getting ready for bed will stimulate your brain and it will eventually hinder your sleep. Admit it, your electronic devices are addictive, and you won’t know when to stop.

The light will interfere your sleep pattern and cause you to stay wide awake. It’s recommended to avoid using your gadgets at all costs at least 1 hour before bedtime.

Reading before sleep is fine, but not through your electronic devices. Reading a physical book as a hobby before bed actually helps you in getting ready to sleep. It’s better not to read in your bedroom. You’re encouraged to read in another room since you do not want your mind to be active in the room that you need to fall asleep in. Again, to condition your mind to switch off the moment you step into your bedroom. If you can completely relax when reading a book, then it’s fine to do it while laying down in bed. Otherwise, it’s best to read in another room.

The next thing you can do is listen to music and write down any kind of reminders that you will need for the next day. The music will help you to calm your mind and remove your stress away. Try to listen to music that is smoother and slower in rhythm. Listening to anything that is loud or exciting will stimulate the mind, and it will be harder for you to fall asleep. For instance, you’ll find yourself in a much-relaxed state when you listen to classical music than rock music.

Another tip is to plan your days ahead before sleep. Writing down reminders for the next day helps to clear out your mind.

Staying awake in bed while constantly reminding yourself that you need to remember something will keep your mind active. Think of your notepad as a “dump it and forget it” vault. Simply grab a piece of paper and scribble a few notes down. It will help you calm down and fall asleep faster.

Another thing that you can do is have a relaxation drink such as tea right before bed. However, make sure that you stay away from caffeine, alcohol, and drinks with a high amount of sugar. A nice cup of tea can calm your mind down and helps your body to relax.

This is also an excellent way to create time for yourself. A time to quiet down and relax. You can do this while either reading or listening to music. If you don’t find pleasure in drinking tea, then consider having a light snack before bed. Do not consume anything that is too high in calorie and difficult to digest. Regardless, a light snack is good because sometimes, the reason why you’re having trouble getting to sleep is simply due to hunger.

Another way to ensure restful sleep is to bring down your room temperature. The best way to do this is to set your bedroom thermostat to be a bit cooler. Our body is conditioned in a way that when it enters a cooler environment, it will get a signal that it’s time to rest.

Also, why not take a quick shower right before bed. Preferably a cold shower to immediately cool down. Otherwise, you can try to get a bed fan, a cooler mattress, or go for a short walk before bed.

All of the things listed above can be a part of your bedtime routine. Go ahead and try them out and figure what works best for you and your schedule. In no time at all, you won’t have any trouble falling asleep and staying asleep again.