Things to help with the endless tossing and turning
Sleep is important. Good sleep is important as well. Many people struggle with a long night’s peaceful sleep. Sometimes falling asleep at once and waking up fresh in the morning doesn’t come easy. Tossing and turning, never falling into deep sleep, waking up many times at night are all signs of restless sleeping.
Restless sleep is not really a medical condition but many experience it. Not being able to fall asleep is uncomfortable and frustrating if it keeps happening all the time. Stress, fatigue, anxiety, imbalanced diet could all culminate to restless sleep. Tossing and turning struggling to fall asleep, light sleep or the feeling you never fall into a deep slumber, inability to fall back asleep if you wake up in the middle of the night are all signs of restless sleep. Even 8 hours of restless sleep can make you feel agitated, tired, not fresh the next day. It is not a welcoming feeling.
Even though it is not a medical condition, there are ways to help with restless sleeping. Here are a few tips to try.
Get some bright light right after you wake up
Start the day with plenty of morning light right within 30 minutes of waking up. It’s better to go outside or have breakfastoutside in the patio or balcony. Early morning light exposure is known to improve sleep quality.
Try relaxation techniques
Restless sleep caused by anxiety or stress can be helped by relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, meditation before bedtime can all help in getting better sleep.
Or a wind down ritual before bed
Probably a shower before bed, a warm bath, yoga, reading, listening to sleep stories, podcasts, guided meditation canbe part of the wind down ritual that you doesn’t feel forced.
Stay active during the day
Keep it moving during the day, Incorporating exercise to your morning ritual or whenever is convenient for you is known to improve sleep quality. An afternoon exercise session is known best to promote sleep.
Stay away from blue light at least half an hour before bed
Turn off all the electronics atleast an hour before bed. Instead, read a book, go for journaling. Also, consistency is the key. Make sure to go to sleep and wake up at a consistent time.
Keep your bedroom cool
It is easier to fall asleep in cooler spaces because our bodies tend to have a temperature drop when we fall asleep. A gentle nudge towards this drop in body temp can greatly help in improving sleep.
