A good night's sleep is essential to the proper functioning of the body.
For some, falling asleep is as easy as putting their head down on the pillow. Others have a tougher time falling asleep and may require some help. Luckily, mental tricks can help individuals fall asleep quickly and may also improve the quality of their sleep. These tricks can be useful tools but may take a little practice to master.
Instructions
1. Prepare your body and your sleeping space. Avoid stimulants such as coffee and some teas before bed, since they can interfere with your body's ability to help you get to sleep. Darken your room as much as possible, as light can affect the body's ability to prepare for and execute proper sleep. Close all doors and, if possible, have full opaque blinds over any windows in the room. Use an alarm clock that does not emit a bright light. Many clocks have settings that allow you to dim the display.
2. Breathe deeply and clear your mind. Prepare your mind for sleep by breathing deeply in through the nose and out through the mouth. Try to empty your mind of thoughts, and relax your muscles. If thoughts creep in as you breathe, acknowledge them and then move on. This is a form of meditation that will relax both your body and your mind.
3. Use the alphabet. Choose a topic -- such as countries or types of food -- and try to think of an item under that topic for each letter of the alphabet. For instance, if you use countries, you might think of "A," Australia, "B," Barbados and so on. If you go through the entire alphabet and haven't fallen asleep, you can begin again with a new topic.
4. Imagine a serene place. Once you're calm and breathing slowly, mentally put yourself somewhere calm and peaceful, for example a deserted beach or a lush, quiet forest. Imagine yourself in that place, relaxed and enjoying your time there. If any other thoughts drift in during this exercise, acknowledge them and move back to your vision of your serene place. Continue your deep breathing while you do this.
5. Review what you did during the day in chronological order. As though you were watching a movie, replay in your mind what you did during the day from the time you woke up until you went to bed. Try to capture as much detail as possible -- but don't dwell on anything that bothered you or that you are worried about, since that can make falling asleep more difficult. If you finish reviewing the day before falling asleep, go back to previous days.
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