The Modern Lei·sure

Good Habits of Easy Sleepers

Unfortunately, a great number of adults have difficulty on falling asleep at night. However, there are some lucky ones who can easily doze off without effort; those types who can easily dream away as long as their body have something to lean on—even just after a minute of taking their resting positions. Insomnia—a medical condition or disorder that happens to people who seem to find it hard to sleep despite hours of lying in bed—has people suffering, ironically, when they are supposed to be already resting. The condition can have detrimental effect on people’s health—and studies have found that sleeplessness can be attributed to serious diseases later on in life. Studies have also found that easy sleepers live longer and are less likely to get fat compared to those who sleep for less than six hours.

But the best kept secrets of easy sleepers can be easily emulated by troubled sleepers. Here are some good habits of people who have no problem falling into deep slumbers. Follow them and you will surely overcome your sleeping problem:

1. Stick to Your Sleeping Schedule

The body and mind find it hard to adjust when you keep on changing your sleeping time. Ideally, one should be in bed on or before 10 p.m. to achieve a deep regenerative sleep; try to have a full 8-hour of slumber and you will surely feel lighter when you get awakened. If you train your body to sleep at 8 p.m. keep that pattern and soon enough, you will find yourself feeling sleepy every time the clock is about to hit 8. We respond to patterns and this can be one of the best ways to triumph over your sleeping troubles.

2. Find the Most Comfortable Beddings

One of the reasons why you may have difficulty in falling asleep might be because of your sleeping environment. Try changing your beddings, pillows, and blankets. If your mattress is old, buy some new ones, perhaps a firm latex mattress or find other orthopedic mattress brands that are good in supporting your back. Lily Silvaniz, a psychologist from Singapore who had several insomniac patients, shared “Sometimes the simplest solutions would be changing one’s sleeping position or simply changing what you often sleep on. One of my patients tried putting on silk pajamas, changing his beddings, and replacing old mattresses that he had since 10 years back when he moved in Singapore. He also avoided sleeping on springed mattresses that often strains his back. And just a month after, he already found a good sleeping pattern and he hardly gets sleepless nights now.” Insomnia may be caused by discomfort and clutter that you seem to reject so it is very important to keep your room clean as well.

3. Be exposed in the sun for some time

Seems hard to believe that enough exposure to natural sunlight can actually help regulate hormones and body temperature that are important factors for you to feel sleepy at night time. Studies showed that people working in the office with windows slept longer than those who are fully covered and have windowless offices. It is not normal to never absorb enough sunlight during the day as the body needs the sun’s nourishment too.

4. Sweat enough on a regular basis

Exercising helps the blood in the body circulate better, ergo, it is easier for the body to keep its pace when no blockage or unnatural circulation hampers one’s slumber. According to studies, insomniacs are often people who are not as physically active at daytime. Exercising need not mean you have to hit the gym 4 times a week; it can be simply jogging or brisk walking daily for at least 10 minutes just to release all those toxins and remove unwanted flabs.

5. Don’t watch much TV at night

Easy sleepers do not stay on the couch for long to watch a senseless TV drama; they usually turn off even their devices and gadgets and refuse to tire their eyes beyond a certain time.

6. Don’t think of stressful things at bedtime

Clear your mind with negative thoughts and release yourself from recounting bad memories. Some people practice transcendental meditation to quiet their mind and free themselves from clutter that only gets them frustrated and depressed. Think of happy thoughts instead and before you know it, you somewhere in Neverland and away from all your daily worries. Sleeping should be a time for rest and not torturing of thoughts.