7 tips on how to fall asleep fast
Today, 30 to 35% of adults suffer from insomnia. It's the same percentage of people that immediately make a grab for their cellphone when waking up. COINCIDENCE? Probably not! The Dodow Team is going to help you find out how to fall asleep fast with these 7 simple tips.
Food that makes you sleepy
It is better to eat a light meal with mostly carbohydrates and/or tryptophan (an amino acid) 2 to 3 hours before bed. Have some pasta, rice, potatoes, but also cereals and dried vegetables like quinoa or lentils, these are all foods that make you sleepy.
If you fancy some herbal tea, chamomile and valerian have a relaxing effect – but beware of mint, which is a stimulant!
If you’re pregnant, the rules are a bit different: pay attention to what you can and can't eat to keep your baby healthy. Some diets are good for pregnancy, and other diets you should better avoid.
How technology affects sleep
The blue light projected by screens prevents your body from producing melanin, which means it prevents you from falling asleep by disrupting your biological clock. Read paperbacks or stare at your bedroom’s ceiling in order to stay as free from screens as possible.
Stay positive
What happens in your mind affects the rest of your body, so it's important to stay positive. Keep a notebook next to your bed to write down all the great things that happened to you during the day. It will help you relax and prevent you from thinking about your worries too much. Having a positive attitude will definitely help you fall asleep.
Work out
Exercising shortly before bed will surely help you fall asleep. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that the more tired you get, the more you want to hit the hay! Try doing some yoga a few hours before bedtime to tire yourself out and relax.
Have sex
Start by taking a nice hot shower to relax: water up to 39°C (102°F) will have a vasodilatory effect (the widening of blood vessels) and improve your blood circulation. Additional oxygen will be carried to painful areas and will release tense muscles.
You are now it tip top condition to cuddle up to your partner because you can also count on sex to fall asleep. Orgasms (as a team or on your own) release opioids in your body, hormones whose sole purpose is to soothe you.
Be zen
The bodyscan is a meditative relaxation technique. All you need to do is lie down and concentrate on relaxing your body, limb by limb, from head to toe. If you want to find your inner zen to help you sleep :
Find a way to remain undisturbed for 20 to 30 minutes.
Find a position that you will be able to hold for a little while, during which you can breathe deeply (so don’t crumple up or roll yourself in a ball! ).
Pay attention to your body, starting with your feet. Feel the sensations of your body wash over you: hot, cold, pain and discomfort, the feeling of your clothes against your body...
Here’s a video to help you out
Should you smoke some weed ?
Lastly, for you Bob Marley fans everywhere, we know that marijuana to help you fall asleep fast is a thing. Used for medical purposes in the United States and many European countries, marijuana contains THC, a natural substance that is a sedative.
However, it is also known that marijuana has big secondary effects on long term memory and concentration. Let’s not even start on the possible addiction… so if you’ve got a thing for smoking, our advice is to bank on a good old breathing exercise, which should give you back your health AND your smile ! :)
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