Relaxing bedtime rituals to try

• Read a light, entertaining book or magazine
• Take a warm bath
• Listen to soft music
• Enjoy a light snack
• Do some easy stretches
• Wind down with a favorite hobby
• Listen to books on tape
• Make simple preparations for the next day

How to sleep better tip 4: Get stress and anxiety in check

Do you find yourself unable to sleep or waking up night after night? Residual stress, worry, and anger from your day can make it very difficult to sleep well. When you wake up or can’t get to sleep, take note of what seems to be the recurring theme. That will help you figure out what you need to do to get your stress and anger under control during the day:

• If you can’t stop yourself from worrying, especially about things outside your control, you need to learn how to manage your thoughts. For example, you can learn to evaluate your worries to see if they’re truly realistic and learn to replace irrational fears with more productive thoughts.

Read: How to Stop Worrying: Self–Help for Anxiety Relief

• If the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake, you need help with stress management. By learning how to manage your time effectively, handle stress in a productive way, and maintain a calm, positive outlook, you’ll be able to sleep better at night.

Read: Stress Management: How to Reduce, Prevent, and Cope with Stress

Relaxation techniques for better sleep

Relaxation is beneficial for everyone, but especially for those struggling with sleep. Practicing relaxation techniques before bed is a great way to wind down, calm the mind, and prepare for sleep. Some simple relaxation techniques include:

• Deep breathing. Close your eyes—and try taking deep, slow breaths—making each breath even deeper than the last.
• Progressive muscle relaxation. Starting at your toes, tense all the muscles as tightly as you can, then completely relax. Work your way up from your feet to the top of your head.
• Visualizing a peaceful, restful place. Close your eyes and imagine a place or activity that is calming and peaceful for you. Concentrate on how relaxed this place or activity makes you feel.

How to sleep better tip 5: Eat right and get regular exercise

Your daytime eating and exercise habits play a role in how well you sleep. It’s particularly important to watch what you put in your body in the hours leading up to your bedtime.

• Stay away from big meals at night. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed. Fatty foods take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may keep you up. Also be cautious when it comes to spicy or acidic foods in the evening, as they can cause stomach trouble and heartburn.
• Avoid alcohol before bed. Many people think that a nightcap before bed will help them sleep. While it may make you fall asleep faster, alcohol reduces your sleep quality, waking you up later in the night. To avoid this effect, so stay away from alcohol in the hours before bed.
• Cut down on caffeine. You might be surprised to know that caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it! Consider eliminating caffeine after lunch or cutting back your overall intake.
• Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening. Drinking lots of water, juice, tea, or other fluids may result in frequent bathroom trips throughout the night. Caffeinated drinks, which act as diuretics, only make things worse.
• Quit smoking. Smoking causes sleep troubles in numerous ways. Nicotine is a stimulant, which disrupts sleep. Additionally, smokers actually experience nicotine withdrawal as the night progresses, making it hard to sleep.

Eat a light snack before bedtime

A light snack before bed can help promote sleep. When you pair tryptophan–containing foods with carbohydrates, it helps calms the brain and allows you to sleep better. For even better sleep, try adding extra calcium to your dinner or nighttime snack. Experiment with your food habits to determine your optimum evening meals and snacks. For a relaxing bedtime snack, try:

• Half a turkey or peanut butter sandwich
• A small bowl of whole–grain, low–sugar cereal

• Granola with low–fat milk or yogurt
• A banana and a cup of hot chamomile tea

You’ll also sleep more deeply if you exercise regularly. You don’t have to be a star athlete to reap the benefits—as little as twenty to thirty minutes of daily activity helps. And you don’t need to do all thirty minutes in one session. You can break it up into five minutes here, ten minutes there, and still get the benefits. Try a brisk walk, a bicycle ride, or even gardening or housework.

Be sure to schedule your exercise in the morning or early afternoon. Exercising too late in the day actually stimulates the body, raising its temperature. That’s the opposite of what you want near bedtime, because a cooler body temperature promotes sleep. Don’t feel glued to the couch in the evening, though. Relaxing exercises such as yoga or gentle stretching shouldn’t hurt.

How to sleep better tip 6: Try not to worry about sleep

It’s normal to wake briefly during the night. In fact, a good sleeper won’t even remember it. But if you’re waking up during the night and having trouble falling back asleep, the following tips may help.

• Stay relaxed. The key to getting back to bed is continuing to cue your body for sleep. Some relaxation techniques, such as visualization and meditation, can be done without even getting out of bed. The time–honored technique of “counting sheep” works by engaging the brain in a repetitive, non–stimulating activity, helping you wind down.
• Do a quiet, non–stimulating activity. If you’ve been awake for more than 15 minutes, try getting out of bed and doing a quiet activity. Keep the lights dim so as not to cue your body clock that it’s time to wake up. A light snack or herbal tea might help relax you, but be careful not to eat so much that your body begins to expect a meal at that time of the day.
• Don’t stress about it. Hard as it may be, try not to stress over an inability to fall asleep again, because that very stress and anxiety encourages your body to stay awake. Remind yourself that although it’s not a replacement for sleep, rest and relaxation still can help rejuvenate your body. Concentrate on relaxation, not sleep.

How to sleep better tip 6: Try not to worry about sleep

It’s normal to wake briefly during the night. In fact, a good sleeper won’t even remember it. But if you’re waking up during the night and having trouble falling back asleep, the following tips may help.

• Stay relaxed. The key to getting back to bed is continuing to cue your body for sleep. Some relaxation techniques, such as visualization and meditation, can be done without even getting out of bed. The time–honored technique of “counting sheep” works by engaging the brain in a repetitive, non–stimulating activity, helping you wind down.
• Do a quiet, non–stimulating activity. If you’ve been awake for more than 15 minutes, try getting out of bed and doing a quiet activity. Keep the lights dim so as not to cue your body clock that it’s time to wake up. A light snack or herbal tea might help relax you, but be careful not to eat so much that your body begins to expect a meal at that time of the day.
• Don’t stress about it. Hard as it may be, try not to stress over an inability to fall asleep again, because that very stress and anxiety encourages your body to stay awake. Remind yourself that although it’s not a replacement for sleep, rest and relaxation still can help rejuvenate your body. Concentrate on relaxation, not sleep.

The insomnia cure

Do you struggle for hours to get to sleep, no matter how tired you are? Do you wake up in the middle of the night and lie awake for hours, anxiously watching the clock? You don’t have to put up with insomnia. Simple changes to your lifestyle and daily habits can put a stop to sleepless nights.

Read: Can't Sleep? Insomnia Causes, Cures, and Treatments

How to sleep better tip 7: Know when to see a sleep doctor

If you’ve tried the tips above, but are still struggling with sleep problems, you may have a sleep disorder that requires professional treatment. Consider scheduling a visit with a sleep doctor if, despite your best efforts at self–help, you are still troubled by any of the following symptoms:

Persistent daytime sleepiness or fatigue

Loud snoring accompanied by pauses in breathing

Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

Unrefreshing sleep

Frequent morning headaches

Crawling sensations in your legs or arms at night

Inability to move while falling asleep or waking up

Physically acting out dreams during sleep

Falling asleep at inappropriate times