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Many things can keep you up at night, such as distractions from your phone or even your own thoughts. If you've tried everything from meditation to hot baths and eye masks, you may be in search of some more solutions. Here are five strange things to try when you just can’t get to sleep at night.
5 Min Read | By Anna Ashbarry
Last Modified 25 September 2024 First Added 12 June 2020
When we’re lacking in sleep, we’ll do pretty much anything to finally drift off and get a restful night. The following is by no means wholly conclusive, but here are some of the weirdest tips to help you sleep:
You may only like to sleep with the door closed at night to keep in the heat or feel more safe and secure. However, leaving the door open when you go to bed will help the air circulate around the room. A study published by Indoor Air found that after observing healthy adults for 5 nights, those who slept with the door open reported having a higher quality of sleep than those who chose to sleep with their bedroom door shut. If you are getting too hot during the night or even as you go to sleep, this small change might make a big difference.
Foods which are high in potassium improve your blood pressure and are crucial for good muscle health. Eating potassium-rich foods before bed, such as bananas, can help to relax your muscles as well as slow down your blood pressure, resulting in a calmer state of mind and body. Other foods that are high in potassium include yoghurt, orange juice and milk. So, eating some breakfast for dinner may just be the key to success when it comes to getting a good night’s rest.
Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of arranging your living quarters to maximise the flow of energy. Moving the furniture around in your bedroom will give the room a new lease of life, and it may be the winning thing that gets you sleeping better. It may take a couple of attempts to get it right, but it could be worth it in the end.
Not only does the energy of a room make a difference in how you sleep, but the colour and design. Redecorating your bedroom and using different colours and textures can make a big difference to your mood and how you feel before and during sleep. Colour psychology suggests that blues are calming and cool, whereas reds can be associated with strain and aggression.
Research has shown that spending more time outside each day can help improve your overall health as well as the quality of your sleep. Being exposed to nature, in particular, the colour green has been proven to have a positive effect on your overall well-being as well as the duration of your sleep. Being outside can also allow you to be more in tune with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. This is because your body’s circadian rhythm works on a cycle that adjusts with sunrise and sunset.
A study examining the relationship between having a purpose in life and sleep quality concluded that maintaining a higher level of meaning in everyday life correlated with better sleep quality. If you haven’t found it already, discovering meaning and purpose in your life could be quite daunting and will most likely take some time. Take a look at the tips below, which can help to give each day more structure and meaning.
Read more – How to Sleep Better At Night
Most people who struggle to sleep are simply excited. Learn how to solve this in our post about how to sleep when you’re excited. However, if your sleeping problems are becoming consistent, you may have a sleep disorder. Sleeping disorders are a condition where a person is unable to sleep even when they’re feeling tired. There are many different types of sleeping disorders which all involve different treatments and techniques. If you think you may have a sleep disorder, it’s best to consult with your GP.
When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, everyone is different, and so what works for one person may not work for you. What’s important is to keep trying new things, and with each new thing you try, be sure to give yourself some time to adjust.
See all articles by Anna Ashbarry
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