Would you like to get to sleep earlier at night? For many night owls, the thought of getting to sleep any earlier seems impossible. But you can train yourself to go to bed early with a few simple tweaks to your nightly routine.
Instructions
1. BE ROUTINE. Get into a routine with your sleep habits. You probably already know that going to sleep at the same time night after night will help train your body to get tired at a certain hour. But did you know that making a point to wake up at the same time every morning will also help train your body's sleep rhythm? If you get up at the same time every day for several weeks, eventually your body will train itself to get tired early enough every night so that you can get the amount of sleep you need.
2. LAVENDER. If you need some help to get to sleep early, you may want to stock up on lavender. Lavender is nature's sleep aid. You can buy it as essential oil or look for it as the main ingredient in many bath products designed to relax you before bed time. You can find lavender-scented pillow spray, candles, hand lotion, potpourri, bath salts, and even eye pillows among other aids. (See tip below on make your own lavender sleep spray at home.)
3. COME CLEAN. Rub-a-dub-dub! Taking a bath may also help you get to sleep earlier. Right before you want to go to bed, take a relaxing bath (you may even want to add lavender-scented bath oil or salts to the water). Relaxation is guaranteed as the act of taking a bath lowers body temperature and mimics the "at rest" state of your body during sleep. Your muscles will relax, making it easier for you to get some good shut-eye.
4. TEA OFF. Many herbal teas contain blends of natural sleep aids like chamomile, St. John's wort, and passion flower. Such tea blends are widely available in regular grocery stores. They are caffeine-free and will naturally relax your body for sleep.
5. POP A PILL. If all else fails, you can always get medication to help you get to sleep early. For serious sleeping disorders such as insomnia, doctors can prescribe medication like Ambien, Lunesta, or Rozerem to name a few. These prescription meds are taken right before bed. Every prescription medication will have both positive and negative side-effects, so make sure you consider your options carefully before you start a regimen. There are also over-the-counter sleep aids available such as Tylenol Simply Sleep. Most OTC sleep meds are antihistamines, and, while they are effective, they may cause drowsiness the following day.
Tags: your body, help sleep, same time, sleep earlier, also help, bath salts, body sleep