If you find yourself tossing, turning, and wishing for sleep to come, you’re not alone. Many people struggle to get enough sleep at night, especially due to the anxiety and stress that comes during these uncertain times. While a number of factors can produce insomnia, studies have shown that women tend to struggle due to physical, hormonal, and psychological changes that occur in their lifetime.
As this lack of adequate sleep can cause adverse and long-lasting effects on a woman’s health, it’s important to try to improve your lifestyle and find the rest you truly need. Here are a few tips and tricks to help beat insomnia to give a shot. After previous feckless attempts, you might just find something that works.
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Reset Your Sleep Schedule
Time is a social construct that humans strongly count on. Our bodies work like clockwork and find valuable meaning in the concept of routine. Sticking to regular schedules keeps our minds alert and aware of when events should happen. Many parents use sleep schedules for their children, but adult women can most benefit from a set sleep schedule to form healthier sleep habits that last.
Insomnia can stem from poor sleeping habits that make internal cues wonky. If your internal sleep clock is broken or out of sync, it’s time to try to fix it to tick correctly once again. Catnaps aren’t beneficial in the long run; neither is the idea of “catching up” on sleep during the weekend. Focus on daily exercise, cut down on the caffeine, eat dinner early, keep your bedroom cool, dark, and comfortable—and most of all—stick to set times to improve your sleep hygiene.
Prioritize a Nightly Bedtime Ritual
Another of the tips and tricks to help beat insomnia is to develop and prioritize a regular bedtime routine. Pre-bedtime rituals facilitate better sleep. Ideally, you shouldn’t hop into bed before you’re ready to—especially after eating a large meal, heavily exercising, staring at your phone for hours, or performing stressful activities. A regular ritual will help calm down an overactive mind, an overstimulated body, and train both your mind and body to unwind.
To conquer insomnia, consider shutting off electronics and utilizing personal relaxation techniques. Create a pre-bedtime playlist to listen to, read a book, talk with a family member, have a cup of your favorite herbal tea, or take a hot bath or shower. Everybody’s pre-bedtime ritual is different. Trial and error can help you see what works best.
Utilize ASMR To Soothe Stress Away
If shutting off electronics is not a pre-bedtime ritual that works well for you, try to use modern technology to your advantage instead. A popular sleep-inducing method is listening to ASMR podcasts or watching ASMR slime videos on YouTube. You’ve most likely heard of the term ASMR or come across it on the internet before. ASMR stands for an autonomous sensory meridian response. Just as your body has a natural circadian rhythm, it also strongly responds to sensory stimulation. Sensations of soothing sounds or visuals can satisfy your body and leave your mind empty to favorably sleep with peace.
