You know that getting a good night’s sleep is one of the best things that you can do for your overall health – but you’re just not sleepy enough to drift off! How to sleep when not tired is a tricky one; no one wants to spend hours tossing and turning. We have gathered together a few great tips to help you.
How To Sleep When Not Tired
If this is a one off situation then it might be easier to deal with than if you have a chronic sleeping problem.
However, it is still frustrating to try and make yourself sleep when you are not tired! There are a few things that you can try to help you drift off, however:
- Drink warm milk. This may seem like an old wives’ tale, but drinking warm milk can actually help you to sleep better.
- Try a weighted blanket. These genius devices are becoming more and more popular – they make you feel safe and comforted, and they can help deal with feelings of anxiety too.
- Use an aromatherapy diffuser. Inhaling essential oils such as Lavender or Chamomile can really help you to relax and drift off.
- Avoid daytime naps. As tempting as it may be, catching 40 winks in the daytime will lessen your chances of a good long restful nighttime sleep.
- Eat early. If you eat a large meal right before bed, your body will be trying to digest, and you will find it harder to doze off. Try to leave a good hour or two between dinner and bed.
- Listen to guided meditation. These are an incredibly useful tool to help you fall asleep; they are designed to help you relax and drift off comfortably and quickly.
- Address anxiety issues. It is considerably harder to fall asleep if your brain is whirring at a million miles an hour! Consult a professional if your anxiety or depression is preventing you from sleeping.
This video will give you some tips that can help you to fall asleep even if you previously couldn’t!
Why Is My Body Not Letting Me Sleep?
You’re all tucked up in bed, waiting for the sleep to take you over – but you just CANNOT fall asleep. What does your body have against you?
Well, it may be something to do with your body, or it may be something in your mind that is causing this type of insomnia.
Anxiety and depression are the worst culprits at preventing you from sleeping. Try mindfulness, meditation, or speaking to your doctor.
Jet lag can cause temporary sleep problems. If this is your case, try to adjust yourself to the time zone you are currently in, although this is hard!
Caffeine can cause insomnia symptoms, as we all know. Try to limit your intake of tea and coffee (or coke), especially in the afternoons and evenings.
Stress is another big factor in preventing good sleep. Although it is very hard to avoid being stressed, take a look at your life and see if there are any stressful situations that can be cut out.
Excessive screen time is not just a problem for kids. More and more adults are finding it hard to sleep because we have our phones with us all the time. Try to put it down!
Daytime napping, although it is lovely and sometimes unavoidable, can make falling asleep at night a problem – try to avoid those catnaps.
How Can I Force Myself To Sleep
It’s really hard to persuade your body to sleep if it really doesn’t want to! However, there are a few things you can try:
- Lower the temperature. Setting your room’s thermostat to between 15 and 19 degrees can really help, as a cooler body is more likely to drift off.
- Let yourself wind down. Having a nighttime routine that sets you up for going to sleep can really help your sleeping rhythms.
- Try yoga. This relaxing exercise is good for your body, plus it can help you to release stress and tension.
- Meditate. Slowing your breathing and relaxing your mind and body can set you up perfectly for a good night’s rest.
- Check your sleeping arrangements. If your bed, blankets or pillows are uncomfortable, it will be much harder for you to fall asleep.
- Put down your phone. These little things are so addictive! Plus, the blue light from the screen can really interfere with your sleeping patterns.
- Visualise. This clever trick really can help you – forcing your mind to picture yourself in a deep, restful, relaxing slumber can actually help you to get there.
- Take supplements. Taking Magnesium, Melatonin, L-theanine or 5HTP can help your body to relax and to regulate your sleep patterns.
Should I Stay Up If I Can’t Sleep?
It can be really frustrating to try and force yourself to go to sleep if it’s just not happening – and it turns out that this might not be helping!
Staying determinedly in your bed while awake can psychologically reinforce your sleeplessness and make it harder to fall back to sleep.
It is recommended that you try for around 20 minutes to get back to sleep (and don’t watch the clock while you do this!) then get up.
Once you do get up, go for relaxing activities like reading, listening to relaxing music, or meditating. Try to avoid looking at your phone, as the light will disrupt your sleep more.
Try to go back to bed after 30 minutes of being out of it. This is long enough to give your brain a break, and to try to “reset” and get back to slumbering.
Here’s a good article with some hints and tips of what to do (and not do) if you just can’t sleep.
Final Words
It can be really frustrating to try and make yourself go to sleep when you’re not tired – and in fact this is turn can make you not sleep!
Have a go at some of our ideas, which will hopefully see you drifting off to dreamland before you’ve even counted the first ten sheep.
