Health
Although many have heard that a warm bath before going to bed leads to relaxation and a good night's sleep, many of these tips don't work.
The statistics speak for themselves: every third person suffers from insomnia at some point in their lives.
See also: How to fall asleep in one minute? – Video
We all know this condition when the clock shows 3 hours and you look at the ceiling in despair.
Luckily, there are simple methods you can use to outwit your brain and make yourself fall asleep.
How to fall asleep if you don't feel like it
1. Breathe in through your left nostril.
This method, taken from yoga, helps lower blood pressure and calm down. Lie on your left side and press your right nostril with your finger to cover it. Start breathing in slowly through your left nostril. This method is especially effective if you eat too much or suffer from hormonal changes associated with menopause.
2. Tense and relax.
Lie on your back, take a deep breath through your nose and at the same time tighten your toes as if you were trying to tuck them in, then relax.
Take the next breath, tighten your feet and relax again. Breathe in again, squeezing your calf muscles, then thighs, buttocks, abdomen, chest, arms, and so on, until you go all over your body, straining all your muscles one by one. When you've done this from head to toe, your breathing will become more even and you'll be ready to fall asleep.
Read also: 12 bad habits that keep you awake
3. Try to stay awake.
Make yourself stay awake and your brain will fight back. This phenomenon is called the sleep paradox. Keep your eyes open, repeat to yourself “I won't fall asleep”. Our brain does not process denials well and perceives it as a bedtime instruction, our eye muscles get tired, and sleep creeps up unnoticed.
How to fall asleep in 1 minute
4. Method 4-7-8
This method, introduced by Harvard Dr. Andrew Vale, helps you fall asleep in less than a minute.
All you need to do is touch the sky behind your front teeth lightly with your tongue, breathe out completely, and do the following:
See also: The simple 4-7-8 breathing technique will help you fall asleep in 1 minute
Inhale quietly through your nose at the count of 4
Hold your breath on count 7
Breathe out through your mouth to count 8, making a whistling sound.
Repeat the procedure 3 more times.
This method promotes sleep because it helps deliver more oxygen than normal breathing to the parasympathetic nervous system, which becomes overloaded during periods of stress.
The bill also helps to distract your brain from the worries of the day that you carry to bed.
5. Remember your day.
Remember all the everyday details in reverse order – this will help clear your mind of anxiety and anxiety. Remember conversations, everything you've seen or heard, and this way you'll reach a mental state that is ready for bed.
6. Roll your eyes.
Close your eyes and roll them up three times. This mimics the movements you naturally do when you fall asleep and will trigger the production of the sleep hormone melanin.
7. Just imagine.
Visualization works when you turn on at least three senses. Imagine a situation where you are calm — a tropical paradise, swimming on the water, walking through a flower field.
When you walk through a “happy” place, imagine breathing in flowers, feeling grass or sand under your feet, hearing water hitting the shore. You will soon feel relaxed and fall asleep.
How fast can I fall asleep
8. Hang to yourself.
This yoga method creates an all-encompassing sense of calm. Sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes, relax your shoulders, jaw, and keep your mouth slightly covered. Breathe in deeply through your nose, but to make it comfortable for you, and so that when you breathe in, your stomach rises, not your chest.
Exhale gently through your mouth, closing your lips while singing to yourself. Try to sing throughout your exhalation. Watch your chest vibrate. Concentrate on this vibration for 6 breaths and then sit quietly for a while. Say “I'm ready to go to bed” and get up and go to bed.
9. Click in a specific place.
There are points on the body that promote sleep with gentle but confident pressure.
Place your thumb on the point between the eyebrows at the base of the nose where there is a small hollow. Hold your finger on the dot for 20 seconds, release and repeat twice more.
Then sit on the edge of the bed and place your right foot on your left knee. Find a small hollow between your big toe and second toe and press in the same way.
And finally, in the same position, find the point just under the fingernail of the upper part of the second finger. Use your right thumb and index finger to lightly press your toe.
10. Find your trigger.
The secret to this method is that you need to make a habit that helps you fall asleep when you sleep well and use it when you can't sleep.
Do something out of the ordinary, like patting your cheek. Focus on how you feel when doing these things. In the following nights, your body will associate this action with sleep, and repeating it will convince your body to fall asleep.
Read also: 5 mistakes that disturb sleep
11. Make a list of your concerns.
Bedtime anxiety is one of the main causes of insomnia. This is often due to the fact that we are afraid that we will forget what needs to be done.
So before going to bed, write your list on a piece of paper so you can forget about it until the next morning. You can also imagine creating folders for your thoughts and putting them in a drawer. You'll be calmer and fall asleep more easily.
12. Go to the bathroom before going to bed.
As we age, our bodies produce less antidiuretic hormone, which prevents us from producing large amounts of urine.
As a result, we may have a nocturnal urge to urinate several times during the night.
Try not to drink liquids two hours before bedtime and use the double emptying technique. This means that you need to go to the toilet twice, urinating a second time 10-15 minutes after the first time.
Also reduce your salt intake to 8 grams per day to reduce the urge to urinate.
How to fall asleep quickly at night
13. Exercise between 4 and 7 p.m.
Moderate physical activity helps you fall asleep. This is one of the best drugs, but like all drugs, it must be used correctly.
Time is important. Exercising in the morning is unlikely to help you, and too close to bed will cause problems. Try to do some moderate physical activity for 20 to 30 minutes between 4 and 7 p.m. Walking and doing housework are also suitable.
14. Drink spiced milk.
You may have heard that milk before going to bed helps you sleep. Add a pinch of nutmeg to the milk, a natural sedative for a sound and peaceful sleep. Experts recommend drinking milk 3 hours after the last meal. You can also try the following spiced milk recipe:
Put 2 cups of milk over medium heat. Add 4-6 threads of saffron, 4-6 cardamom fruits, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, a pinch of ginger, and a pinch of nutmeg. When the milk starts to boil, lower the heat and stir the milk. Add 2-4 teaspoons of sugar if you want to make milk sweeter and cool slightly before drinking.
15. Put your socks on.
If your feet are cold, your brain may not be receiving a signal that it is time to sleep. When you wear socks before going to bed, it reduces the time it takes to fall asleep, as it causes blood vessels to dilate and tells the brain about sleep.
How to fall asleep in one minute?