Metty William All night long, you toss and turn, and your mind is overwhelmed with tomorrow’s never-ending to-do list, and it is a frustrating experience we are all well acquainted with. New clinical research by the American Psychological Association shows that alleviating daytime anxiety levels might be the gold standard for getting a good night’s sleep. Learning about evidence-based relaxation skills may just be the missing link that relaxes your nervous system and lowers your cortisol levels and finally allows you to sleep the sleep you so need and deserve.
Practice Box Breathing Methods
If you take in equal breaths on the inhale and exhale, you can regulate your autonomic nervous system. This breathing pattern is described in research published by Frontiers in Psychology as a simple way (rhythm) to decrease acute physiological stress reactions.
Dim Your Evening Lights
Reducing light in the environment an hour before sleep helps aid the body’s production of melatonin. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests that you can help to maintain your circadian rhythms without adding to the brightness of the night.
Write Down Your Worries
Expressing your concerns in a journal before bed may help you clear your mind. An “inspiration to do” list of things to be done may also aid sleep induction, as suggested by research in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.
Listen to Calming Soundscapes
Soft home music or pink noise, which masks disruptive household sounds, could be in a state to be introduced. The Scientific Reports study shows that low and soothing sound waves might promote steadier, ongoing slow-wave sleep.
Gentle Evening Yoga Stretches
A bit of stretching can also get rid of the physical tension that may be created by working at a desk. Newspaper articles on physical therapy indicate that some easy yoga poses can help strengthen circulation and calm down your nervous system.
Avoid Heavy Late Meals
A stomach full of food for a large meal just before retiring can cause digestive problems. The findings concluded that eating approximately 2 hours before retiring is, in fact, good for sleep and reduces reflux that happens at night.
Optimize Your Mattress Comfort
The physical discomfort from an unsupportive bed may prevent deep sleep cycles. Hippo’s health team indicates that changing a very old mattress may have a marked impact on both back stiffness and sleep efficiency.
Dedicate Beds for Sleep
You can begin to create a space with a bed by keeping it just for sleeping. But bedtime behavior medicine concepts imply that you are “training” your brain to stay awake when you work in bed.
Read a Physical Book
It’s important to take a break from digital stimulation by reading a traditional paper book. Research into reading and cognition suggests that a couple of minutes of reading can remarkably reduce blood pressure.
