family today

Falling Asleep Fast

Rose here. Tonight I want to talk about how to fall asleep fast. Do you have a hard time falling asleep? Are you tossing and turning thinking about all the things you have to do? Stress is the number one reason why people cant relax and fall asleep. There are ways you can turn off your mind and learn how to fall asleep fast.

The number one thing to do before you go to bed is set up a nightly routine. A nightly routine will allow you to get into a mind set to fall asleep. Unwind in a warm bath filled with chamomile bath salts. Chamomile has been know to help those with insomnia. It makes not only a wonderful bath but a tea as well. If you don’t like tea have a warm glass of milk, but don’t drink too much before you go to bed or you will be getting up in the middle of the night to go.

There is a new product on the market that absorbs natural sleep aid ingredients into your system. It’s not a pill, it’s not a liquid, it’s a toothpaste. Yes, PearlyDreams toothpaste is made with; passion flower extract, melatonin, valerian and balm mint all herbs known to have relaxing properties. As you know melatonin is produced in our pineal glands and regulates our sleep cycle. When we don’t produce enough melatonin we have trouble falling asleep. Jet lag, working odd hours, too much light in your bedroom and age are factors that cause us to produce less melatonin.

Babies crying, horn blaring, dogs barking…these are just some of the external noises that keep you awake at night. Or if you are like me, the birds are chirping. When you are traveling it is just as hard to soundproof your room due to kids running up and down the halls, people stomping over head or door slamming. The best way to drown out these noises other than wearing ear plugs is sleep music, white noise or binaural sound waves. Binaural sound waves influence the brain in more subtle ways through the entrainment of brainwaves and can be used to produce relaxation and other health benefits such as pain relief. You can purchase binaural sound wave cds or you can use a fan or air conditioner which also work with external noises.

A well known way to help you fall asleep is using a self hypnotic tape or CD. Self hypnotic tapes use repetitive suggestions such as body tightening and release, subliminal messages and deep breathing. It is not only good for relaxation, it also keeps your mind busy and off any problems you may be having. Deep breathing helps lower your pulse rate by holding your breathe for ten seconds then exhaling slowing counting backwards from 8 to 1. Repeat 2 more times. I have a self hypnotic relaxation tape and more than half the time I fall asleep before it ends. If you do not want to try self hypnosis, try meditation instead. Concentrate on a single word and repeat it over and over going slower until you have lowered your heart rate and you will be totally relaxed.

Other suggestions to prepare for sleep try reading, writing or anything that will get your mind off whatever you are stressing about. Make sure you are not in restrictive clothing. Anything that is too tight will not move with you when you turn over. I feel loose fitting pajamas are easier to sleep in than a nightgown that is sometimes tighter around the shoulders and rides up during the night.

Speaking of your bed…do you sink into the middle, feel the springs or wake up with a back ache? If you need a new mattress but can’t afford one a memory foam mattress topper with a terry cloth cover will help relieve stress on your pressure points. A memory foam mattress topper has been know to hold extra heat in and become too soft for some people. That is why I recommend getting a terry cloth cover, as it will allow the air to flow between you and the mattress keeping you cooler. Other ways to keep cooler are; lower the temperature of your room to 65 degrees, use less blankets and don’t sleep with your pets. They will not only disturb your sleep, but they will also add more heat. Your bed should be used for sex and sleep only. Don’t watch TV, play video games or eat in your bed. How are you going to get to sleep if you are thinking about that horror flick you just watched. Um?

Do you remember what you were dreaming about just before you woke up this morning? When you lay down at night and close your eyes the first thing your mind will think about is the last dream you had. It might be just for a second, but it might be enough for you to recall more than a fleeting memory. These conscious dreams are called lucid dreams, because you are half asleep and half awake when you have them. Lucid dreams are the best thing you can think about to help you fall asleep. The more you remember the faster your subconscious will take over and start dreaming again. Now its unlikely that you will have the same dream, but I know that is possible. When you are laying in bed do you catch yourself thinking about some crazy story or fantasy and wonder how or why you were thinking about that…well that was your subconscious starting to dream and putting you to sleep. You may want to start a dream or sleep journal. Keeping track of your dreams can be fun as well as a way to get to sleep.

Lastly if you are like me you love to nap and stay up late and sometimes find yourself up until 3 or 4 in the morning, getting into a terrible sleeping pattern. If you are going to nap, try to have a power nap of 15 or 20 minutes. Not only should you limit your nap time you should keep a bedtime schedule. Make time for your nightly routine and get to bed at a decent hour to get the amount of sleep you need and wake up feeling fresh and rested. This is Off the Kuff with the Kuffner Twins Rose and Kitty