We’ve all stayed up too late watching our favorite TV show, and regretted it in the morning when our alarm clock rings. Need help falling asleep?
Use a sound machine app
Meditation and sleep apps are the best! Check out the apps Aura and Calm (as well as countless other options in the app store). These apps play beautiful, relaxing tunes for you before bed.
Music is a powerful tool to help us fall asleep when we’re tired but too stressed to fall asleep. It has a direct effect on the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps your body relax and get to sleep faster!
Wear super comfy clothes
The theory here is that by wearing comfortable clothes and socks, we’re telling the brain that it’s “bedtime” since you’re more relaxed and ready to catch some Zs.
It may not be the sexiest sleeping strategy, but it’s worth a try—especially when it’s scientifically proven research, right?
Use essential oils
When we smell something delightful, our olfactory nerves send messages to our brain regions responsible for memory and mood.
Essential oils not only smell lovely but can put you in a relaxing mood, depending on which ones you choose. The best ones for sleep are:
Lavender
Clary sage
Sandalwood
These essential oils are the best for helping you fall asleep faster. They contain soothing and calming notes so you can unwind and relax.
Drink chamomile tea
If reading at night doesn’t help you fall asleep, drink some chamomile tea. Chamomile helps your body relax and improves your mood. Check out Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Herbal Tea. If you don’t like chamomile, any warm drink will help you relax at night as long as it’s not caffeinated.
Keep it dark
Covering up or removing sneaky sources of light, your phone included, can help improve your sleep. Consider installing blackout curtains or using an eye mask. Remember, light triggers the body’s wakefulness response, so the less you’re exposed to light, the better your quality of sleep will be at night.
Use a calming pillow
Try the Dreampad. The Dreampad uses your bones’ natural ability to conduct sound to slow down your thoughts and help you fall asleep faster.
When this Sleep Pillow plays its music, it doesn’t emit sound, which can disturb your sleeping partner, but instead uses gentle vibrations, which are immediately felt through your bones.
The gentle vibrations are carried through your bones to your nervous system and inner ear, producing a sensory-based and deeply calming effect; much more relaxing than just hearing music playing.