At some point in your life, you’ve probably become well aware of how difficult it is to get a good night’s sleep when there are deadlines, work, relationships and other priorities to think about. Tossing and turning, unfortunately, only seems to make things worse. According to Brown University, experts estimate that about 100 million Americans maintain serious sleep debt. Although anxiety and stress may be part of our everyday lives, sleepless nights don’t have to be. Thankfully, there are steps you can take that will improve your sleep and even help you get to sleep faster. Here are a few tricks to try:
Take your vitamins
One of the best ways to get a restful night’s sleep is to take your vitamins! Studies have shown that a range of B-vitamins, calcium, magnesium and melatonin may work to calm your nerves and induce sleep. And other studies have shown that these vitamins will help to boost immune system health! SlumberAid is a natural supplement containing these vitamins to give you a better night’s sleep. Aside from being found in supplements, these vitamins are naturally found in a host of healthy foods.
B-vitamins can be found in a variety of foods ranging from egg yolks, peanuts, fish and poultry to whole grain cereals and leafy green vegetables. As for calcium, don’t forget to drink your orange juice. Magnesium levels are high in rice, dried herbs and cocoa powder. This means you can snack on a bit of dark chocolate before bed! However, be careful to not eat too much before bed, as this can make you uncomfortable, making catching z’s even more difficult.
Have a consistent bedtime
Get on a schedule that allows you to go to bed (and wake up) at the same time every day. According to Brown University, staying on a consistent sleep pattern can help you get more shut eye. If you go to sleep at 1 a.m. Monday night and then wish to catch up on some sleep Tuesday night at about 10 p.m., you may find you’re having trouble sleeping because your body’s sleep-wake rhythm has been disturbed.
Part of having a consistent bedtime is creating a routine around your sleep patterns. This could mean winding down before bed by reading a book, watching TV or looking over your schedule for the next day. Either way, relaxing a bit before bed might be able to help you get into the proper mindset for sleep.
Manage your stress
This is definitely easier said than done. However, studies have shown that taking a milk peptide supplement like Symbiotics TryptoZen may actually bring you to a more relaxed state of being, helping you to fall and stay asleep. If common relaxation methods like yoga, reading or meditating do the trick, this may be helpful to add to your bedtime routine.
Take shorter naps
If you’re exhausted during the day because of a poor night’s sleep, you’re going to want to take a nap. But the trick is to keep your naps nice and short, as difficult as that may seem. Brown University said that your naps shouldn’t exceed 30 minutes. You only need 15-20 minutes to increase alertness, productivity and creativity.