8 things to help you fall asleep and stay asleep
I’ve recently been having a hard time falling asleep. It’s not for lack of tired, that’s for sure. I’m a taxi driver and food preparer all day! So, tired is something in which I’m very familiar. Lately, I just can’t fall asleep. I toss, I turn, I move my body pillow, I shove covers off, I pull them on. I.just.can’t.get.comfortable. My mind is racing with all of the things I need to do want to do. And, sometimes, my girls have a hard time falling asleep, too. Here are 8 things to help you fall asleep and stay asleep faster that are helping me and my girls and hopefully will help you, too.
Wouldn’t it be great to sleep like this?
The thing is, I totally know what I need to be doing to get to that happy and relaxed sleepy place. And, I’ve started doing some of them again, but I haven’t committed all the way.
How to catch that sleep
1. Relaxation Breathing
This breathing really helped me relax during pregnancy and during labor. One slow breath in through the nose for a count of 4, and out for a count of 8 with the mouth relaxed and tongue to the roof of your mouth.
2. Exercise
Thirty minutes of exercise everyday (not right before bed) will help with the body’s natural sleep cycle. I have to get back to this. Not just for my sleep, but for my health, too.
3. Noise Machine or Fan
We have three noise machines in our house. The white noise is great for babies, but it also helps adults, too. It blocks out all of the other house noises, or people noises and makes for a nice “quiet” environment.
4. Lavender Essential Oil
The scent of lavender is naturally relaxing. I have lavender oil diffusing in our room and use it in my girls’ rooms as well in the evening to help relax and calm. You can also spray it on your sheets, in your room, or even find laundry detergent with lavender added.
5. Cool, dark room
Have you ever tried to sleep in a brightly lit, hot room? Yeah, it’s pretty impossible. We’ve got our air set much lower than I ever imagined (I’m sure it’s going to cost us a pretty penny). We also have black-out curtains. It’s nice and dark and cool.
6. Stick to the same bedtime and wake up time
Um. Guilty of not following this one. I know, this is the best thing for our bodies and I need to get better. I’m guilty of the “just one more thing” statement at 10:30pm and before I know it, it’s 1:00am!
7. Get off the computer/iPhone/tablet/
Did you know that the light coming from those screens actually activates your brain. This is probably one of the biggest reasons I have a hard time going to bed. I need to break up with my computer and phone earlier in the evening. Is there an app that will shut down my phone after a certain time? Because I might need that!
8. Have a good bed setup – Mattress, pillows and more
Mattress: Make sure you have a nice mattress that you like and works well for the way you sleep. Is it cool enough or does it keep you hot? Is it cozy for a side sleeper, or better for a back sleeper. Or, get a mattress that works for all sleep positions like the Dream Cloud (read my full Dream Cloud review here).
Pillows: Next is your pillows. Have you ever been to a hotel or a guest at a person’s house and realize just how much your miss your pillows from home? Maybe that’s just me! I’m all about my neck relief ergonomic cervical pillow. I like it to cradle my head and stretch my neck. I also feel like these are best for helping me to relax my jaw when I sleep.
However, Mr. Serious sleeps on a more generic pillow that is the best pillow for all sleep positions. It turns out he moves a lot more in his sleep and is also less picky about the type of pillow he sleeps on. Thankfully, The Cushion Lab has options for all different types of sleepers and even for people that like to have a pillow between their legs while they sleep (also me!).
Weighted Blanket: A weighted blanket is kind of like a hug in a blanket. This weighted blanket is made of 300 thread count 100% breathable cotton. We were sent a sample of the CO-Z weighted blanket to test out. It is skin-friendly, more comfortable and cooler for children. The filling glass beads create a weighted effect that will simulate being held and hugged, with ideally no more tossing and turning.
Hopefully, your child will fall asleep much faster and longer. It comes in three weights and sizes so you can get just what your child needs. Want 20% off on your weighted blanket for kids? Use the weighted blanket coupon code KWB20INF2 to get 20% off your weighted blanket.
Obviously, I know what I need to do, so I need to act on it. I’m no good to my family if I’m cranky because I can’t sleep or haven’t slept. Kids and adults alike need to get good sleep. So make sure they are getting good sleep and we are mom-ing ourselves and getting good sleep, too.
Those are all great tips. I just can not seem to get my brain to stop running through my to-do list at night.
The only thing that helps me there is the relaxation breathing. It’s crazy, but it really works!
Great tips,Right now i am having a hard time switching off thinking of everything,One this thats helping me right now is being stuck watching the world cup i am so fed up at the end of three matches and hours of watching that i am out light a light lol.
OH geez, I’m the worst then. I sit in my bed in the dark with the laptop for hours every night instead of sleeping. I stink at behaving!
Lavender does smell soothingly good. I think peppermint does too. 🙂
It is hard getting enough rest when you have so much depending on you. Good tips.
I can’t do without my box fan… it’s my white noise and nothing else seems to get the right tone. Also, my ancient feather down pillow and my blanket. I guess you could say I have a sleeping system!
Numbers 3, 4, 6, and 7 are super important for me. Melatonin helps a lot too. I get the liquid kind, I feel like it works better and quicker.
I also have a hard time disconnecting from technology at night time. Reading helps me fall asleep (unless I’m in a really good/intense book!)
That is a great list that I am sure will be very helpful. I really have no trouble sleeping. It is always pretty easy for me, but I know some folks struggle.
I have noticed that I can sleep better when I keep a to do list. Otherwise my mind won’t let me sleep with all that needs to get done.
Lavender really helps me..I have essential oils in my room and I think they make a huge difference.
My biggest challenge is putting myself to bed. That can be quite an obstacle.
Getting exercise on a regular basis really helps with my sleep. Having a great mattress has been my saving grace!
These are some really great tips! I find that if I just get off the computer and read an actual book, I can get to sleep pretty easily. And yes, it would be so nice to sleep like your adorable baby.
We are huge fans of white noise in our house. We used a cd of white noise for our oldest two. With our third, we got a white noise machine, so I didn’t have to hear the loop of the CD anymore. LOL
When my daughter is sick or even has a cold we use the Vick’s Cool Mist Humidifier along with the Lavender pads. It makes SUCH A HUGE difference even in one night. I love that it’s quiet and gives off that “white noise” that seems to keep the little ones asleep all night without any issues.
These are wonderful tips. A hot bath always works well for me as well. The essential oil is another great tip. I too need to part ways with the computer!
I need to learn to keep my phone in another room when I go to sleep. I swear all those late night comments and twitter RTs buzz my phone right off the night stand:)
Oh my gosh, cutest baby picture ever! White noise helps me a ton!
Lavender oil and a dark room will do it for me. Look at the baby sleeping soo adorable!
You have some great tips above. I totally agree with all of them and have the best luck getting to sleep when I shut off all electronics an hour or two before bed. Although it is a VERY hard thing to do.
I love watching puppies and cats sleep, they look so piece ful. I sleep with a crazy commercial fan that cuts everything out.
I try to turn off the phone because the light keeps me up! I also need a cool room with the fan on!
Great tips and good luck getting sleep with that adorable baby! I definitely need more exercise in my life!
If I could only get the hubby to go with the last one… that would help him, I think 😉
Turning off my phone is key– if I don’t, it beeps all night!
I don’t have any, it just kinda happens for me and the kids. But I did learn a few things here 😉
thats why i love my sleep number bed. i can change my bed setting to a more comfortable position. I also use number games like Lyne and Suduko to calm my brain
I need to pin this and come back to it every night! I am always tired but I never seem to get enough sleep or fall asleep fast enough!
I find that I get my best sleep when I’m cool and the room is super dark. I love sleeping under a blanket and can’t do that if it’s warm in the room, which means I fight sleep.
Hardest part is getting off that phone/tablet/computer. I even take them into bed with me. LOL Workaholic.
Having the noise from a fan and keeping the room cool helps me. Getting a better mattress made the most difference for me though.
Number seven is my kryptonite! I really need to get it together because my sleep is horrible lately.
As a psychotherapist, I discuss sleep hygiene with all of my patients before resorting to medications. One of the biggest offenders seem to be sleeping with the TV on. As long as there is anything- music, TV or talking, your brain will attend to those stimuli. Even if they fall asleep, it won’t be nearly as restful. Luckily, I only have transient insomnia, but it is the WORST when I do. Good luck to all!
These are great tips! I have actually found that reading my iPad helps me fall asleep at night. Maybe it is the subject matter that makes the difference, LOL.
Reading always makes me sleepy, so that is my go to. I also love the lavender essential oils to help calm me too!
The noise machine and the lavender are what do it for me. I sleep like a baby with them. My noise machine has a compartment for aromatherapy beads. It’s awesome.
Great tips that I definitely can use and practice more often. Your daughter is so cute!
I have NO trouble falling asleep usually. BUT. If I wake up in the middle of the night my mind starts racing. Thankfully that does not happen very often. These are great tips, I love essential oils and a cool, dark room… zzzzzzzz…. 😉
Ugh, I WISH I had this problem. My son nurses All.Night.Long. Exhausting. Anyway, we do the cool room and also use a diffuser. We do lavender, chamomile and orange.
Don’t I know! I’m still feeding my almost 6 month old at least one time during the night, if not twice!