The reason may vary but we all have been there. Rolling from one side of the bed to the other. Maybe feeling too hot, too cold, our mind keeps racing to things we don’t want to think about. We would give anything just to be able to settle down and go to sleep. Then you start counting on how many hours you have left before your alarm clock brings you back to reality. And that makes you stress even more. Because you know that tomorrow you will feel like a zombie.

Why is it sometimes so difficult to fall asleep? It seems like you are stuck in a couple of months where you are just struggling on keeping awake during the day but have difficulty sleeping during the night. What are the reasons our minds refuse to shut down and stop thinking about what we have to do or what happened during the day? I personally believe that if you exclude any medical conditions or trauma, answers are hidden in you. And there are small but beneficial things you can do to achieve that sleep you have been missing on. Feel free to try more than one piece of advice from our list. For the best result the more the merrier. And no, you don’t have to drink a glass of warm milk or get someone to sing you a lullaby. Lack of sleep is one of the most painful and hardest times in my life. One time I have been sleep-deprived for more than 2 weeks and I had a feeling that I’m going to die. Like my body will just shut down. You start forgetting things, what you just said, what you just did. You cant control your feelings and just feel stressed to the max. And it just drains you. It drains you so much. But little by little things will get better. One sleeping hour at a time. For another interesting article on sleep check Good Morning – Don’t Move.

Stop trying to sleep

We know that you are tired and that someone told you to have a bedtime routine. But there is no point in lying in your bed for hours and feeling completely awake. Go to bed when you are tired. You don’t have to sleep. Just stretching your legs and being in a nice comfortable position will allow your body some much-needed rest even if you don’t fall asleep.

If you feel frustrated because you really want to sleep just get up. Do something useful. Clean your kitchen. Finish a project that is waiting for months. Read a book, even if we don’t recommend reading before bedtime. Just do anything possible to stop thinking about sleep. Do something that makes you happy but don’t watch tv or work on your computer. Don’t use your phone either. Learn a new hobby or a skill. This is a perfect time to start something new. But don’t bring yourself in a position where you are staring at the ceiling and waiting for sandman to come.

Have regular exercise

You need to make yourself tired. We know that your mind is already tired with thoughts of sleep so your body must follow. You don’t have to go to the gym or start boxing. The focus here should be on the movement of the muscles and relaxing techniques that engage the entire body. If possible go swimming 2 times a week. Or try doing yoga, but really light yoga with breathing techniques that will help you learn how to relax and let go.

You can do it at home with some relaxing music, a couple of hours before bedtime or early in the morning. It will take you a couple of weeks to get the hang of it, if you are a beginner, but soon you will be aware of the benefits. Your body will become stronger, your movement more refined. And you will be aware of your breathing. I am not a yogi myself but it worked for me. Even if you just go for a short walk every day when you can it will improve the state of your mind and body. The fresh air will give you a better perspective on things and make you feel more positive.

Be careful on what you eat and drink

It’s not just coffee and alcohol that could give you sleeping problems. In today’s world, there are many products with hidden ingredients that could potentially disturb your sleep. You should probably give up on eating chocolate and sweets a couple of hours before bedtime. Same as not having a heavy meal in the nighttime.

Forget about dairy, cheese, or anything that could disturb your digestion. If you still crave a bedtime snack try to have some unsalted nuts, dates, noncaffeinated tea with a little honey, or a piece of toast. Keep it nice and simple. It often happens when people don’t get enough sleep that they start to get food cravings. Especially for foods that are high in sugar. This is the way your body will try to fight the lack of energy. You will need to fight those cravings. Having food with more fiber and protein will provide you with much-needed energy and not just empty calories. So try to have some oatmeal with fruit in the morning. Whole grain bread, nuts, salads, and vegetables during the day. Your body is asking for food and you should definitely eat more just to keep yourself healthy. We definitely recommend drinking a vitamin supplement during this period to make sure you are getting all the extra energy you need.

No screens and we mean it

This includes TV, tablet, phone, computer, or any other source of blue light that you may have at least 4 hours before you plan to go to bed. If you want to do something read a book. Even if we don’t recommend it, it’s much healthier. Your brain needs time to unwind. And it won’t be able to do that if there is soo much stimulation from movies, social media, or playing video games. You need to cut contact with the rest of the world before going to bed. If you’re not willing to make this sacrifice you will have a hard time accomplishing that much-needed sleep.

I personally believe that the worst thing you can do for your sleep is to have a TV in your bedroom. Before you judge me please let me explain. Before Netflix and internet streaming TVs. Before the TVs were the size of the football fields we kept them in our sitting rooms or family rooms. Gathering around a TV was a chance for a family to get together and watch a favorite show. I know that this was a long time ago but I still remember. My point is, that it wasn’t disturbing our private space, the bedroom. Your brain still had some time to unwind in silence and peace. You weren’t spending hours and hours binging on the new season of your favorite show and then complaining that you couldn’t sleep. Do yourself a favor and just try for a couple of weeks. It’s not going to cost you anything to try.

You need a bedtime routine

Even if you know that you’re not going to sleep successfully, you need one. It could be as simple as taking a bath, brushing your hair, or putting on your pajamas. If you talk to parents of small children, they will always tell you that the key to good sleep for their kids is to have a good and consistent bedtime routine. That means getting ready to sleep at a similar time each night and repeating the things your mind expects you to do. Things that make you feel nice, warm, and comfortable.

Each person will have a different routine and the biggest problem will be figuring out what works for you. But this is a trial and error process and it’s not going to take you long to see what you like. We suggest that you try simple steps that don’t require a lot of thought. This way your brain will know it’s time to have rest and it will help you win the battle.

Try to figure out the cause

Maybe you already have an idea of what is disturbing your sleep. As I mentioned before, this advice is general. They can be helpful even without knowing the root of insomnia. But if the cause of the problem is not addressed properly, the efficiency of our advice could be only temporary.

There are things out there, certain herbs, medications, or supplements that could potentially help you with any major problems. But for you to take them you will also need to dedicate some more time to searching for the causes of your problem. It could be stress, family issues, trauma, or a health condition. The important thing is that you look for help and try to solve the problem. The solution is out there but you need to find out which of these solutions is the most suitable for you. Good night!