How to Sleep Better and Go to Sleep Fast
Ahhh, the elusive sleep. We either get too much or not enough, but we are always searching for the perfect amount. The truth is, while we may sleep like a baby most of the time, everyone has periods where sleep just eludes them. We all want to know how to sleep better.
When sleep is always a problem, it usually points to some more serious underlying problem. Learning how to go to sleep is important. Without it, humans suffer fatal effects. The wrong amount can bring on mental and physical issues.
Fortunately, there are myriad ways to learn how to go to sleep fast and to sleep better and most of them don’t cost a dime.
Banana Tea at Bedtime
It sounds a little unusual, but people from all over the world have used banana tea to induce a deeper, longer sleep for centuries. There have been no clinical studies of these claims, but many experts recommend it and it works for a lot of people.
The assumed science behind this natural sleep remedy is the high concentrations of magnesium and tryptophan, two sleep encouraging elements, contained in bananas. Magnesium is known to be a relaxant and decrease levels of stress and anxiety. The USDA reported a connection between low magnesium levels and insomnia. Tryptophan, the ingredient in our Thanksgiving turkey that makes us so sleepy, is an amino acid that plays a part, along with serotonin, in putting us to sleep. It is found in most protein-rich foods.
Making banana tea is easy, but it can be done a few different ways. For a single cup of tea begin with one banana. Organic bananas are best for making tea.
The most popular form of mass-produced banana, the Cavendish, has a very real possibility of becoming extinct because it is a sterile plant. More trees are propagated from cuttings, not seeds or pods. As a result, there is no genetic variety which causes a weak immune system. A weak immune system means they cannot fight of pestilence and diseases as well and are one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the American diet.
Using organic bananas ensures there are no pesticides and other chemicals on the banana. Otherwise, thoroughly clean the banana before using it. Start with clean hands and remove all stickers, although most are made of edible paper, and rinse with cool water. You can also use a produce brush.
There are many produce washes available for purchase. They aid in removing dirt, pesticides, and insect tracings from fresh produce. If the banana has been near meat or fish produce wash can kill E-coli and salmonella. They contain purified water and citric acid in most cases. Some people deem produce washes unnecessary and others swear by them. If it makes you feel better to use a bit do so but a good rinse with clean, cool water should do the trick if you don’t have any around.
Trim the hard, brown stem and the end section from the top and bottom and submerge the banana into a pot of approximately two cups of water. Cover the pot and set the heat to medium-high.
Once the pot begins to boil reduce the heat and simmer until the water turns a caramel shade of brown. Alternately, you can remove the banana fruit and use only the peel. Eat the fruit or freeze it for later use.
Add any sweetener you prefer. Honey, sugar, stevia, and even fruit juice are all popular choices. Begin with a small amount and adjust it to your taste to keep from getting it too sweet. Another tasty add-in is cinnamon. It’s always best to use all organic ingredients whenever possible.
Drink this tea warm just before bedtime. It may just be the relaxing act of drinking a warm cup of tea before bed, but insomniacs the world over swear by this fruity sleep hack. While it can’t knock you out cold or keep you in a dead sleep for hours, it does help you feel sleepy and fall asleep quickly.
The Environment is the Key
Where and how you sleep has a lot more to do with the quality of sleep than most people know. Have you ever noticed how hard to sleep it is in the middle of summer? The heat makes it impossible to get a good night’s rest. If the room you sleep in isn’t completely conducive to sleep, all the way down to the temperature, you will not get a restful sleep.
A dark room is the first step in learning how to sleep. Your body naturally produces melatonin at night to help you sleep. The process is interrupted when there is continual light. No television, cell phone, or computer screens should be on. Make sure the only light in the room when you are trying to sleep is natural light. It’s even a good idea to keep the furniture and décor to dark colors and materials.
The temperature in the room should be cool, between 60- and 68-degrees Fahrenheit. If it is too hot or too cold in the room, it causes agitation. Some people find a fan helps. It keeps the room cool, air circulating and produces a soft white noise sound that lulls you to sleep.
Although some people swear that they need a tv or radio on to sleep, they aren’t really getting the restful type of sleep needed for good health.Obtaining the deep sleep required for true rest requires noise to be kept to a minimum. The only sounds should be the natural sounds of the environment. If you live in a noisy area a sound machine can be helpful.
A Bedtime Routine is Important
We learn how to sleep as children by the routines our parent set for us. When we become parents, we quickly learn how important routine is in getting our own children to sleep. We train our bodies to perform in a specific way when we follow a routine for a long time.
Encouraging sleep is as simple as setting a firm bedtime ritual and sticking to it. Do the same things before bed every night such as:
- Set the coffee pot for morning
- Watch the evening news
- Brush your teeth
- Walk the dog
Your body begins to realize that those actions in that order at the end of the day means sleep is near and you will begin to feel tired. Routine is helpful for children’s sleep issues, but it works just as well for adults.
Cooling Down Period
Part of your nightly bedtime ritual should be a cooling down period. This is the time of day when all stimulating activities slow to a stop. No exercising, no work, just a relaxing activity.
Relaxing Activities for Cooling Down Before Bedtime
- Read
- Watch television
- Listen to soothing music or rain
- Sit on the porch or outside
- Take a bath
Giving your mind and body a chance to cool down before you ever get near your bed. Cooling down as part of your nightly ritual lets your body know you are ending the day and beginning the process for sleep.
Natural Sleep Aids
There are many natural, organic substances that help us to get tired, fall asleep faster, and sleep longer by stimulating the sleep receptors in our brains. They calm and relax us naturally without manufactured chemicals.
Melatonin – Most people know Melatonin as a cure for jet lag, but it also works wonders for insomnia. It signals the brain that it is time to relax.
Passionflower- Passionflower can be taken as a supplement or tea. It boosts the level of GABA to promote sleep and quiet brain activity.
CBD - CBD has calming properties and helps to quiet the mind. Studies show it can help with short term sleep issues.
Kava Kava – Native to the Pacific Islands, this plant has helped induce sleep for centuries. It brings on a general feeling of well-being and contentment. It is known to help you fall asleep fast and sleep longer.
Valerian Root - This flowering perennial has been used since ancient times to bring on sleep. Sleep studies show it to improve the quality of sleep. It can be used as a supplement or essential oil.
Medications for Sleeplessness
A doctor will sometimes prescribe a medication to help with insomnia. This type of solution is meant to be short term. It is recommended to pair medications with improved sleep hygiene. There are several different medications used to help fight insomnia.
Zolpidem – Zolpidem is the active ingredient in popular sleep medications such as Ambien, Intermezzo, and Edluar. Although they are great for falling asleep, they don’t always keep you asleep all night.
Suvorexant- This is the main ingredient in the sleep aid Belsomra. It blocks a wakefulness hormone from overproducing. It causes some people to stay sleepy throughout the day as well.
Eszopiclone – Lusta is the name this pill is branded under. It helps promote quickly falling asleep and sleep a full eight hours. It causes next-day grogginess, so prescriptions are usually of low dosage.
Over-the-Counter Sleep Medicines
The majority of over the counter sleep aids are the same medicines that are in allergy pills. The antihistamines that help you to breath better with an allergy also make you sleepy.
Essential Oils for Sleep
Scents have a way of calming our nerves, getting us excited, bring back memories, or just make us feel happy. There has been a myriad of studies done into the benefits of essential oil use. They have proven that inhaling the scent of specific oils from organic matter can induce a deeper and more restful sleep as well as help you get to sleep faster.
Lavender
Lavender is one of the most commonly used essential oils because it is so diverse. Not only does it aid in sleep problems, but it is a powerful antioxidant, a natural diabetes treatment, and pain reliever. It also treats respiratory problems.
Valerian
Valerian is good in tea and as a supplement, but the essential oils also work for sleeplessness. It can be rubbed on the skin with a carrier oil or dabbed on pillows and sheets. Research has shown the scent to lengthen the duration of sleep and help users fall asleep faster.
Chamomile
Chamomile essential oils work well to help users fall asleep quickly. It works especially well for children because of its lightly sweet scent. It works as a mild sedative and helps to ease anxiety.
Bergamot
Inhaling Bergamot has been shown in studies to reduce anxiety and improve mood. It reduces the stress hormone Cortisol and has a calming effect when inhaled.
Get in Touch with Your Body
The way your body works is unique to you. A very large part of getting a good night’s sleep is understanding your own body. Our bodies circadian rhythm, or sleep/wake cycle is a 24-hour clock continuously running to tell us when to sleep and when to wake up.
The circadian rhythm can be disrupted by many factors. Naps, exposure to light, and exercise can all affect the sleep cycle. Knowing what is natural for your body will help you know the best times to go to bed and get up for the day.
Limit Caffeine, Nicotine, and Alcohol
Recreational substances such as alcohol, nicotine and even caffeine have a much larger effect on the quality of sleep than most people realize. Caffeine stays in the human body for up to 14 hours. Drinking it in the hours before bedtime causes multiple awakenings during the night. High doses of nicotine also cause sleep interruptions. Many people believe alcohol will help you sleep. Truthfully, alcohol will work as a sedative initially but as it is eliminated from the system is causes sleep arousal.
There are many ways to help improve sleep. Whether you need more restful sleep, to fall asleep faster, or to sleep all the way through the night there are myriad solutions to try. The important thing to remember is that no solution is the same for everyone. It is best to try a variety of things to find what works best for you.
