Have a Goodnight Sleep: Guide to Falling Asleep Easily and Soundly

Having hard time to sleep??

Sleep problems are inevitable specially if there's something bothering you. But if this is chronic, it needs to stop.  ​You have to intentionally work on it. 

Through the years, I have experienced insomnia, then I have sleep deprivation due to overthinking and busyness.  I always felt tired, had very dry skin, and I always had a headache. So I decided to invest on taking care of my health, and my top priority was to fix my sleeping habit.  I'm not wrong to start with it after I learned its benefits to my well-being. 

Benefits of Sleeping 

First of all, let me summarize why sleep is very important. Based on a health study, when our body and mind is at rest, our internal body is recharging.  It is the time when it repairs our vital organs such as heart, muscles and brain, and strengthens our immune systems.  

Sleep maintains the overall functions of our body that results to restoration and recovery making our body to perform at its best.

Sleeping soundly also optimizes our mental well-being where our brain processes emotions, consolidates memories, and clears out harmful toxins. The brain was critically reset during sleep, contributing to improved cognitive function and emotional regulation.  

If we have sufficient sleep, it fosters more positive mindset, it enhances focus and concentration. A restorative sleep improves our socialization, as I felt it is easy to put a smile on our face. It promotes emotional stability, and better stress management.

I used to take short naps after lunch time and I can attest that I felt recharged. My brain blocks were removed, allowing me to better think clearly. 

Some companies promote short naps so they provide sleeping or napping pods. This improved the reaction time, increased logical reasoning and better moods of their employees. 

Common issues

I cannot fall asleep. Most of us are having a hard time to sleep, specially now with so many going on with our lives.  Evening has been hectic with dining out with officemates or friends, or still finishing a task for work.   We create extra activities after our day job to maximize the day.  We want to do more because we have timetable of our goals. We usually keep ourselves busy, believing it would bring us to sleep in no time.

 
I woke up in the middle of the night. Waking up in the middle of the night and waking up so early before the alarm are common sleep issues.  We are already asleep, but we experienced disruptions such as the need to pee, or because of jet lag. We are also interrupted with our snore, and our own body movement during the deep sleep (REM stage) , one example is sleep walking. The interruptions might take us back to sleep immediately, but it has already affected the quality of our rest.

The common term of this problem is Insomnia, which is a sleeping disorder because of so many factors that impacted our body to sleep. One factor usually affected is the circadian rhythm of the body, which is the natural process of body changes within the 24 hour cycle.

I would not go further on the stages of our sleeping time; both of these problems are impacted.  If you are able to sleep continuously without waking up, at least 5 hours or so, (depending on the number of hours needed by your body) then congratulations to you!  This is one sign that your sleep hygiene has improved.

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5 reasons why we can't sleep

There are many causes why we can't fall asleep right away and  not having a good quality sleep. The 5 reasons are just to name a few.  All of us have a unique body state, so some reasons might not applicable to you. Later on you can find ways to manage the causes, so you can fix your sleeping issues.

Food intake.  According to research, most common food affecting sleep is caffeine, which is mostly found in coffee, softdrinks and chocolates.  

Another component is alcohol which may trigger you to feel sleepy initially.  However since it remains in the body for 2 to 3 days, and when it wears off, it has a rebound effect that disrupts your regular sleep cycle. 

Activity before you sleep.  Any activity that stimulates your body and mind will affect your sleep and even before you are in the middle of falling asleep.  One example can be an exercise that is strenuous and requires high physical effort. Though in general an exercise should help regulates body temperature. When temperature drops, it signals the body that it is ready to sleep.  A good timing and level of exercise must be considered.

If you are still working and thinking, it stimulates your brain, so it significantly affects your circadian rhythm that keeps you awake.

Another one is exposure to blue light of television screen or cellphone.  This slows down to produce melatonin that helps you to sleep.  For some people, it's a way for them to slow down and get to sleep immediately.  

Emotions.  Normally our emotions are one to be considered suspect on why we can't fall asleep. There's a feeling that was triggered during a situation that will keep you thinking about it until bedtime. 

I have one case of these emotions that have kept me awake for hours before I could sleep.  It's a feeling of anger at work,  and it made me sleepless until morning. I thought of the situation and what I should have done.  Anxiety, worries and stress stimulates our mind and keep us awake. We over think of the situation, the solution and the future.  

On the other side, positive emotions such as trust and happiness can help us to relax and be at peace, so it promotes a better sleep. The society constatly reminds us to manage our emotions. There are different ways and techniques to do it. It is better that the negative feelings are not being carried over the next day. So make sure to let it go before bedtime. 

Environment. The bedroom influences how we fall asleep.  It is not just the physical comfort that is important here,  but also the surrounding light. Exposure to any light - natural sunlight, moonlight, room light and blue light-  affects our internal clock and triggers our body to slow down or not. When the eyes detect that it is already dimmed, it relays the information to our body that it is time for bed. 

Aside from light, noise also keeps us awake and reduces sleep quality.  Room temperature has also high effect on the quality of sleep, as our body temperature is adapting to it while we are sleeping.

There are also tangible things that strongly impacts the comfort of the body during sleep. These are the bed, mattress, pillow and beddings.  The space and cleanliness of where we sleep also complements the over all sleeping hygiene.  

Conditions. Let's consider health and other conditions as it  complicates sleeping habit.  Pregnant women and people who are light sleeper are likely to have a hard time to fall asleep. If you are taking medications, this also leads to affect your sleep.

Lastly, as people go through with age, there are several areas in people's body and needs that changed in time. Some causes may not apply to them anymore or the causes can be a combination of two or more. 

Guide to falling asleep easily and soundly

With the previous topic of the reasons why our sleeping habit is affected,  it follows that some causes must be avoided and managed. Based on my experience, which has truly worked for me, achieving better sleep is easy if it is practiced regularly. Here are the things to help you prepare your sleeping time and have a good night sleep:

Have a consistent sleep schedule. 

• You really need to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.  For my body time to adapt to the schedule, it takes 2 to 3 continuous days of regular time.  It depends on when your circadian rhythm adapts. 
• Limit napping with a recommendation of 20 to 30 minutes.  Avoid napping late in the day.

Start a healthy lifestyle habits.

• Engage in regular physical activity.  Morning walk or a brisk walk of more than 5,000 steps is recommended. And so is  Yoga or stretching exercises. But avoid exercising too close to bedtime. Make sure that you are already on relaxing mode an hour or 2 hours before you sleep.
• Eat a healthy diet.  The nutrients we need to regulate our sleep, and stabilize sugar level are found in the food we eat.  Too much of it can result to obesity, which is the main cause of sleep apnea.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol consumption several hours before bedtime, as they can interfere with sleep.  I'm a coffee lover but I limit myself to drink up to 3 cups a day and consumed it before 2:00 pm. You can replace this with hot chamomile or mint tea to soothe and relax your body.
• Limit fluid intake before bed to reduce night time awakenings for bathroom trips.  So drink your hot tea an hour before you sleep.
• Get exposure to natural sunlight during the day to help regulate your circadian rhythm. A walk in the morning while sun rises goes perfectly together here.
• Have a regular quiet time for prayer and meditation to calm you down. I have few suggestion on last section.

Create a relaxing bedtime routine.

• Refrain from watching television, using electronic devices, or engaging in vigorous exercise close to bedtime. I know this is hard, specially putting your cell phone away from you.  Replace this with the next suggested routines. 
• Engage in calming activities before bed, such as reading, journaling, or taking a warm bath or shower. Recommended reading are inspirational and spiritual books to relax you, not a novel that excites you to get to the ending. 
• Prepare your bedroom by starting to cool on the temperature, start to dim lights or diffuse a lavender scent in your room to calm your senses.
• If you remember the abbreviation JAPAN,  Just Always Pray at Night, should relax your body and soul.
• If you can't fall asleep right away, get back to the relaxing activities.

Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool.  

• Minimize light exposure in your bedroom. Use blackout curtains or an eye mask if necessary.    
• Reduce noise distractions. You can use earplugs or have a  relaxing music as a background while falling asleep.
• Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature.  Though there are recommendations of a cool temperature between 16 to 21 degrees celsius, you can find a temperature that is comfortable for you. 
• Invest in a comfortable mattress, pillows, and beddings.  

Cognitive and Behavioral Techniques.  

There are few techniques here found to be helpful on maintaining good sleep.  I have applied the last 2 techniques here and it effectively worked for me.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): If you have chronic insomnia, consider seeking professional help with CBT-I, which teaches you how to change negative thoughts and behaviors that interfere with sleep.  

• Stimulus Control Therapy: Associate your bed only with sleep and intimacy. Avoid using your bed for other activities, such as watching television or working.  

• Sleep Restriction Therapy: Temporarily reduce the time you spend in bed to improve sleep efficiency.

Lift up all your worries and anxieties. 

There are more tips and guides to improve sleeping hygiene, but with all of these, the genuine truth that will surely calm you to sleep is having peace of mind, and trust that comes from the wisdom and faith we have in God.  As the saying goes, you cannot buy sleep even with the most expensive comfortable bed, and medications and treatments are temporary. 

I have few verses and chapters that can give you comfort for whatever is keeping you awake, tossing and turning in your bed.  Sleep is a gift from God, and so is our work, He has blessed us. We may toil incessantly the whole day, but rest and sleep are important.  He grants the sleep and rest you need if you live up to His word.

Proverbs 3:24 - "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet". 

Isaiah 26:3 - "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you". 

Psalm 127:2 - "In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves."

Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Psalm 91 - This chapter shows full promise of God to those who trust in him. Key verses provides the following - Refuge and fortress, Trust, Protection, Angels as guardian, Overcoming adversity and God's response to Trust.

You may read this verses when you pray or in your quiet time. Include it in your journal and make it your lullaby. So I hope and pray you find yourself in peace and manage your sleeping habits. Have a good night always.