Sleep Troubles

From hot tea to soft music and there is no shortage of ways to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep

It is the middle of the night: you find yourself in the dark staring at the ceiling, tossing and turning and to top it off you are deafened by the nonstop voices and the intruding thoughts in your head. This is the reality of many who find it difficult to fall asleep.  

Sleep is an important part of a daily routine, which is why it is important to get at least eight hours of sleep. Some of the core benefits of sleep include getting sick less often, reducing stress levels (especially if you are a student) and it can make you think more clearly. However, most individuals are not seeing those benifits are lucky to get just a few hours of sleep.  

According to Medicine Net.com, different age groups need different amounts of sleep. For example. Newborns  

Children 3 months or younger need at least 16-18 hours of sleep while infants 4-11 months need  12-16 hours. The older you get is when you start getting the most sleep teenagers, especially the ones aged 14 to 17 should be receiving 8 to 10 hours.  

Dr. Matthew Walker, a sleep scientist at the Windsor Sleep Centre said a good night’s sleep is what is best for your brain.  

“We’ve learned that sleep before learning helps prepare your brain for initial formation of memories,” said Walker. “And then, sleep after learning is essential to help save and cement that new information into the architecture of the brain, meaning that you’re less likely to forget it.” 

The Good Body.com conducted a sleep study and found the highest age group that gets the less sleep are teenagers The study found that 97 per cent of teenagers get the least amount of sleep compared to the three per cent of teenagers that do.  

There is an endless array of reasons as to why people are having a hard time falling asleep and according to the Mayo Clinic, there are a wide variety of factors including stress and anxiety along ith other factors, can affect sleep gratly. If an individual suffers from anxiety, it can cause them to worry and have their brain work as hard as a hamster in a hamster wheel, and this can cause an individual to lose useful shut eye.  

But it does not have to be that way. Research has shown there are many ways to get that long desired rest. Nolah Mattress.com provides some great tips on how to fall asleep and stay asleep: 

 Lower the Room Temperature

Set your bedroom thermostat from to 67F. However, this depends on if you are, a hot sleeper, wear cooling cotton pajamas and use cotton or linen bedding. The more breathable the fabric, the cozier you will feel. Also, another cool sleeping method is to lose the socks. 

Listen to Relaxing Music lay back and get lost in the music

One of the better choices is to listen to relaxing music. There are several tunes on YouTube that will cause you to drift away slowly. Many playlists exist online for a calming and perfect nighttime medicine.  

Make Sure You’re Comfortable 

You can use all the tricks available to fall asleep but if your bed is uncomfortable, it may be more difficult. Wash your bedding regularly you want to feel like you are sleeping on a cloud not cement. Investing in a new mattress. 

Unplug From Electronics 

We enjoy our devices. They keep us plugged into the world, but they can unplug us from quality sleep. One of the easiest ways to make yourself fall asleep is to remove electronic devices from your bedroom at least one hour before bedtime. The flickering screen of your cell phone or laptop tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime. Leave that device in another room so you can sleep better. If you are going to listen to the background music mentioned before, make sure it is another room.  

Read a Book 

Reading a physical magazine or book in bed could help you sleep. Reading at night may ease anxiety too as it switches your focus to the activity at hand. 

Think Positive Thoughts 

Positive techniques to falling asleep include the attitude of gratitude. Think about the day you’ve had and all the good things in your life. Be grateful for everything in life, even the bad days! It is a great way to beat nighttime anxiety and bring restful sleep. 

Windsor resident Christopher Malone works as a mold maker in Oldcastle and describes his bedtime routine.  

“Basically, I get home, unpack my lunchbox, go to the bathroom to brush my teeth, head to my bedroom, strip and climb into bed,” said Malone. “I’ll take a couple of my allergy pills, then lay back and watch some videos online.  Depending on my mood, either automotive mechanics or just random videos off Instagram if I feel like laughing.  Whenever I start to feel tired, I’ll double check my alarm and adjust it, if necessary, then roll over to try to sleep.” 

If you are out there struggling to sleep at night, just remember there are ways to help you sleep fast. things such as tea, relaxation music, and reading books are ways to help you not only fall asleep but stay asleep.