6 Tricks I use to fall asleep faster at night

August 25, 2017

When you’re in Quarantine, inactive, or when stress levels are off the roof, it directly impacts your sleep pattern or speed at which you reach ‘paralysis’?

For me specifically; the more work I have the less I feel like sleeping and I just end up feeling like crap the following day. I’m pretty sure most of us are in the same boat right? I know many of my friends experience this too, and some of them swear by things like CBD oil to help calm them before getting into bed (you can get a coupon here if you want to try it out). They simply massage the oil onto their arms or legs as part of their bedtime routine, and they apparently doze off within minutes. Ah, the magic of hemp derived products, eh? Now that’s something I can only dream of!

I’ve tried and tested the below things/steps and it has always worked for me, thus I want to share it with you guys as well. The below is not in ranking order, it’s just as per your preference.

#1 – An organic, natural pill

The first time I started experiencing Insomnia was when I started working full-time, was working on my blog and pursuing my master’s degree – all at once. I spoke to mom about it and asked if I could try sleeping pills. She was strictly against it as she told me it contains harmful ingredients and may result in severe side effects (thus, I could settle for… nothing else).

However, one day I stumbled upon “Sweetest Dreams” by Solgar at Life Pharmacy. Mom and I asked the pharmacist if these are like other sleeping pills and he explained these pills are 100% organic, have no chemicals or side effects! It’s free of gluten, wheat, artificial flavor, preservatives, etc. The only instruction: eat it 45 minutes before you go to bed.

Honestly, this pill is a blessing! – Ever since I bought this, falling asleep has been easier. However, there’s one pitfall: In general, I feel nauseous when I don’t get at least 8 hours of sleep at night, thus, if I don’t sleep enough after eating the pill, the next day is basically, sh#t!

#2 – Can’t voluntarily keep your device away? Switch on your ‘Night Shift’

Using electronic devices close to bedtime can make falling asleep difficult and that’s because blue light tricks our circadian rhythm (aka natural body clock), into thinking that it’s daytime. It also boosts attention and reaction times, and interferes with our bodies’ production of melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep.

If you like staying up late at night with your phone (…like me), turn on your “Night Shift” and try adjusting the scale to the “More Warm” side. The more yellow your screen is = the more discomfort you will feel and will want to go to sleep. This even eliminates the sensation of a burning cornea and will prevent lighting up the whole room, which your roomie or fam would appreciate.

To make it easier for you, schedule your night shift! I sleep around 11:00 PM on a weekday, thus, my display automatically gets its orangish hue 🙂

#3 – The Lush Essential #NotSponsored

I found out bout this cream when I was invited to a new Lush store opening here in Dubai. I’m not a fan of majority of their creams, but this cream, ‘Sleepy’ was just something else… You’ll sleep (really) well after dipping into this dreamy lotion, made with a gentle oatmeal infusion, calming lavender flower and comfortingly sweet tonka absolute. A rich, malty and floral perfume conjures up visions of sugar plums and hot drinks topped with whipped cream while the heavenly ministrations of creamy Fair Trade organic cocoa butter and delicate lavender water cool enrich the skin. Blanket your body in this lovely lotion before stepping into soft pajamas for snuggly nights beside the fire (that’s legit the description from their main website).

It’s comforting to touch AND apply. Don’t believe me? At least try it out when you visit the store next? Thank me later.

#4 – Countdown

This is the LAMEST of them all – I count from 0 to 100… backward… SLOWLY!! Guys, I swear it works! I guess it’s so boring that I actually end up falling asleep at ease by the time I reach 0. You’ll need to get yourself into a comfortable position to make sure you are ready for getting to sleep, this may include splashing out on some new PJs that are a lot comfier than your current ones, you can check out some designer women’s robes as well to get you in the ‘sleeping mood’.

#5 – B&BW Essentials #NotSponsored

I am an insomniac, and constantly stressed, or anxious. So for my last birthday, my bestie Zeba purchased me a BUNCH of stress relief or ‘sleep’ essentials from B&BW. I thought it was an absolute marketing gimmick until I tried it myself. The Black Chamomile Body Lotion worked WONDERS, and the stress relief pillow mist eased my headaches, migraines, and made me sleep better. I would definitely have considered stress relief pills, if these did not come to my rescue!

Needless to say, I would even recommend their candles, but you can’t light them for hours when you’re asleep, so maybe light it an hour before you snooze to fill your room with soothing essence 😉

#6 – The Military Secret!

Going for work when you’re short on sleep is frustrating. But imagine having to take part in military exercises or WAR when you’re short on sleep?! Unsurprisingly, soldiers follow a special technique to help them doze off in minutes.

Lloyd Bud Winter revealed in his book, Relax and Win: Championship Performance, that the military started giving a lot of importance to sleep after they realized that pilots were making avoidable mistakes because they were tired. The trick is simple, just follow these steps –

Relax your face muscles – tongue, jaw, eyes, everything!
Drop your shoulders as much as possible, relax one arm on your side and then relax the other.
Breathe out and relax your chest. Relax your legs slowly, from thigh to lower leg.
Wait 10 seconds, them completely clear your mind. Winter suggests thinking of any of the following images –