A sleepless night can make the following day a nightmare. According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders, 20 to 30 million American have occasional sleep-related problems (reference 1). Chronic sleeplessness can cause relationship stress, memory problems, difficulties with performance at work and may contribute to certain chronic diseases (reference 2). Even nonprescription sleep aids have some side effects, so it's a good idea to try these natural relaxation techniques before popping a pill.
Set a Restful Scene
Remove all distractions from your bedroom. Block out street lights with extra curtains if needed. Don't take your laptop computer into bed with you. Avoid caffeine-containing foods and drinks after noon, watching out for hidden caffeine in foods like chocolate bars or coffee-flavored yogurt or ice cream. Adjust the temperature in your bedroom. Cooler is usually better than warmer for sleeping. Take a hot bath or, if the weather is hot, a cold shower. Getting some exercise during the day often improves sleep quality, but don't exercise within three to four hours of going to bed.
Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Arrange yourself in your most comfortable sleep position, and starting at your feet, tense an area of your body and then consciously release it. Work your way up your body until each limb and your torso have gone through one tense/relax cycle. Then picture each part of your body becoming very heavy, almost as if it is part of the bed. If you can still feel signs of muscle tension (fidgeting, tightness in your neck or shoulders), repeat the cycle again. This technique also works well for falling back to sleep if you wake and are restless in the middle of the night. You may need to practice this particular technique during the day for best results.
Visualize a Successful Day
If you are having trouble getting to sleep because you're anxious about the next day's activities, use your imagination to visualize the hardest parts of the day being the best parts of the day. For example, if you're worried about a meeting at work, picture the meeting going well. Engage all your senses. What are you doing? What are you saying? What are other people saying? What is the temperature in the room? Can you smell freshly brewed coffee?
Write Away Your Worries
Keep a journal near your bed for times when your mind is racing. Write down all your thoughts and worries as they come to you, without comment or judgment. If going to bed instantly reminds you of all the things you need to accomplish the next day, use the journal to write these things down so you won't be kept awake with the effort of remembering them.
Tags: your body, saying What, your bedroom