Drink Some Tea
A nice, hot cup of either green, chamomile, or any herbal tea you enjoy can help you sleep in a few ways. Green tea in particular contains L-theanine, an amino acid that reduces mental and physical stress and is packed with antioxidants. Your diet and when you eat have a lot to do with your sleep schedule.
Make it as dark as possible
Many people find it easier to fall asleep in absolute darkness. While this isn’t always obtainable, you can get pretty close with some heavy blinds or curtains, or even a sleep mask. This also includes artificial light, so place your phone screen-side down to avoid it lighting up with notifications and blinding you.
Keep your room tidy
Stress is usually the cause of sleepless nights, and a lot of this can be tied to jobs or chores that need doing. Try to have everything you need to do that involves the bedroom out of the way, and make sure the space is clear, relaxing, and inviting.
Hide your clocks!
The overwhelmingly exhausting routine of tossing and turning for what seems like hours, only to turn and see that 20 minutes have passed is not going to help anyone. Instead, try removing your clocks and alarms from your eyeshot to stop yourself from fixating on time. The more you worry about how much sleep you get the worse it will be.
Deep, controlled breaths
There are countless different breathing methods out there so it may take time to find one that works for you, but as a way of relaxing through stress and anxiety, it has been well-tested over time. It also settles the body into the kind of relaxed and slow rhythm it adopts during sleep, easing the transition.
Muscle relaxing exercises
Strangely yes, a little exercise in bed can do wonders for your sleep – although not the kind you are probably thinking about. Progressive muscle relaxation involves slowly tensing and releasing the muscles, starting in the face and moving down to the feet, while practicing deep breathing. It allows the entire body to relax and sink into sleep.
Get up and do something else
If you deal with longer-term insomnia due to mental health issues, one of the best things you can do to avoid laying sleepless while ruminating, is to get up and do something. Nothing too stressful or demanding, it could be sitting on the couch and reading or getting a little bit of work done, allowing the body to fall into its rhythm.
Give yourself 30 minutes to prepare
The lead-up before getting into bed at night plays a big role in the quality of your rest. Avoid any caffeine, sugar, or big meals and try stretching before you finally lay down. Fill your half an hour warm-up with any activities you find relaxing and stressful.
Aromatherapy
Scents are deeply linked with our mood, they can make us drop our guard, start retching, and of course, help us get some rest. Floral smells like lavender, sweet pea, and jasmine are known to create relaxing atmospheres and encourage relaxation, but anything you personally find soothing can work.
Keep a sleep diary
If the problem is persistent, it could be worth keeping a sleep diary. By tracking the quality and length of your sleep, as well as what kind of thoughts or problems keep you awake, you now have a lot of data you can use to try and fix the issue. Remember to note small things too, like temperature, smells, or even dreams.