Sleep is a critical aspect of health and well-being, yet many people have it difficulty falling asleep at night.
This can be caused by various factors such as stress, anxiety, abuse of coffee or other stimulants, excessive noise or unhealthy sleep habits. However, there are tricks and techniques that can help you fall asleep more easily and improve sleep quality. In this article we will look at one, designed by Dr. Anna Heidbreder.
How many hours should you sleep a night?
According to Dr. Heidbreder, the ideal would be to have a sleep rituala routine: drink tea, drink chamomile tea, put on warm socks, take a shower and go to bed.
It’s not wise to stress yourself out before bed. checking emails or checking social media to see what’s going on.
The blue light emitted by cell phone and laptop displays reduces our production of melatonin and therefore makes it more difficult to fall asleep.
Take 7.8 hours per night as a rough baseline and then test it on yourself.
Ask yourself: How do I feel when I go to bed at 10pm, 10:30pm, 11pm? Try doing this for a week at a time and see if you feel better or worse. This will help you determine how much sleep you need.
If you feel rested and recovered enough to be able to deal with everyday life, you can assume that you are getting enough sleep.
The trick to falling asleep is to give your brain something to think about
The famous saying about counting sheep is not wrong.
To fall asleep you have to think of something mundane that feels familiar and comfortable: a walk on the beach, a pleasant trip, your favorite food.
This because the brain cannot be turned off. If I think I don’t want to think, then I’m already thinking and that doesn’t work.
And that’s why you need to give the brain something to think about. Seeing is believing.