No More Sleepless Nights

Getting a good night's sleep makes you feel refreshed and energized.

Sleeping—good sleeping—­is so essential to our health and what happens to our bodies as we doze off into dreamland. But not everyone is fortunate enough to fall asleep fast and stay asleep. Wouldn’t you rather wake up refreshed and energized each day instead of tossing and turning all night while staring at the ceiling?

We thought you’d enjoy a few proven tricks for ways to fall asleep faster when you need to relax.

Sleep Aids, Medication, or Natural Sleep?

If you take a sleep aid or a medication for sleep, you really aren’t sustaining your health in the long term and those pills can create dependence. One tip for obtaining better sleep is to change your lifestyle, which then positively impacts your behavioral changes. Sleep will feel next to impossible when you’re stressed, upset, or worried. We know you can’t fall asleep if you’re not relaxed. The tip: Retrain your nervous system to relax.

Sleep is all about self-care

Below are several tips for falling asleep faster. See which ones work best for you.

1. Change your evening habits. Be more conscious of what you’re doing during the last two hours before your normal bedtime. Are you watching TV or scrolling through Facebook or Instagram posts? It’s best to put down those blue light emitting devices for at least an hour before you go to bed each night. Use the twenty minutes before you intend to sleep to wash your face and brush your teeth. Then relax your muscles, stretch and even read a chapter in your current book. Sleep will easily follow.

2. Massage your ears. Self-massage helps promote sleep. If you gently rub your earlobes (or your feet), these are areas that have “maps” that comfort all parts of your body. You can also apply an essential oil mixed with coconut oil if you want an added sensation.

3. Try Yoga Nidra. One hour of yoga nidra is believed to be equal to four hours of normal sleep. This type of yoga is known to relax your nervous system, so you have a relaxed and peaceful sleep.

4. Count your exhales. By counting backwards from 100, count just your breaths that you exhale. This puts your body in relaxation mode, making it easier for you to fall asleep. It’s known that inhaling is rejuvenating and it’s an active mode, but when you exhale, the process helps you fall asleep.

For a sleep consultation, call Dr. Greiner at Seattle Sleep Solution: 206-364-1220.