5 Things To Do When You Can't Sleep

We have all had to face those nights when we can't sleep. You may be very tired, but you just can't fall asleep.

Maybe you are worried about an important meeting the next day, you are upset that the crush has not responded, or you are embarrassed that you have remembered an awkward situation you had a decade ago.

Whatever the reason for not being able to sleep, spending long minutes and hours waiting for the alarm to ring does not help anything.

If you've had a hot shower, left the dark room, eliminated the noise and still can't sleep, take a look at these 5 tips we have put together to help you get to sleep quickly.

1. Focus on relaxing images, not sheep

A 2010 Oxford University study found that, unlike popular belief, counting sheep has no effect on sleep induction. But all is not lost as there is a better solution.

Read also: 10 Natural Soothing that Help Treat Anxiety, Insomnia, and Even Depression

According to the researchers, thinking of relaxing images of serene places like a beach or a mountainous landscape is much more efficient in helping us calm our brains and fall asleep. On average, study participants who used this technique fell asleep 20 minutes earlier than those who counted sheep or did nothing. It seems to be worth it.

2. If you need to tell something, start backwards

If you feel that you simply need to involve numbers to fall asleep, the tip is to do this backwards and think of sequences rather than direct sequences. This means that instead of starting from number 1 and counting indefinitely to sleep, you can, for example, start from 1,000 toward 1, counting from 3 to 3, or just the odd numbers.

This trick acts as a distraction to the brain, capturing our attention without being difficult and could cause frustration, while counting sheep is too easy for our mind.

3. Use Breathing Technique 4-7-8

There are some variations of this technique, but the principle is the same: you should breathe in, hold your breath and exhale controlling how many seconds each action should take. In this case, the trick is to inhale for four seconds, hold the air for seven, and exhale for eight, over and over.

Another technique is to inhale for three seconds and exhale for six, so you can choose the one that you feel most comfortable with. The purpose of these patterns is to slow your breathing and focus your mind on this process rather than worrying about the boss or the bills.

Also read: 31 Tips For Coping With Insomnia

4. Use active imagination

Active imagination is a sleep-inducing technique that resembles active meditation. It involves sitting in a comfortable position, relaxing your whole body, breathing slowly and focusing on a situation, object or place that makes you feel peaceful.

The success of this technique depends on the experience being extremely individual, which means that it is no use imagining a random beach. For active imagination to work, you must focus on situations that are genuinely exciting, relaxing, and positive for you, such as your childhood room or the smell of your grandmother's house at lunchtime.

5. Practice the interruption of thoughts.

You are in your bed, ready to sleep, with freshly laundered sheets and soft pajamas. But instead of falling asleep, you are thinking of everything that could go wrong in your meeting with the boss tomorrow or a nonsense you said 5 years ago to a former fancier.

In this case, it may be difficult to focus on a relaxing image, but there is another technique you can use. When these thoughts take over your mind, you should think of a resounding STOP! In capital letters, like a giant traffic sign. This will help your brain divert these anxiety thoughts. If they come back, repeat the technique.

Having a bad night's sleep is normal, although unpleasant. However, if the difficulty of falling asleep is a recurring problem in your life, be sure to consult a doctor to investigate the reasons.

Read also: How to choose the right pillow

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