1. Take a warm bath a few hours before bed.
Sometimes a warm shower can relax your body and feel clean. Studies suggest that bath relax have good results in elderly (67-83) and younger (17-23), providing at least three hours of good rest with lower movements than without the bath.
2. Sleep naked.
According to sleep specialists at the Cleveland Sleep Clinic, sleeping in the nude allows you to regulate your temperature without affecting your sleep more easily.[1] Adjust your temperature with clean sheets, warm blankets, and pillows, instead of wrestling with a stuffy fleece set of pajamas.
Of course, if you prefer to wear pajamas because they're more comfortable, go for it. There's no wrong way, and everyone sleeps differently. Loose cotton pajamas typically breathe more easily than other fabrics, making them more comfortable.
Wear appropriate clothing that reflects the weather. Don't forget your feet—–cold feet can keep you awake! Keep a sweatshirt or an extra blanket right next to the bed, just in case you get cold at night.
Feeling too hot? Learn how to sleep comfortably on a hot night. Feeling too cold? Learn how to sleep when it's cold.
3. Sleep in a different position.
Changing your sleeping position can make a huge difference in the quality of your sleep. When you go to sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, make a conscious effort to follow these guidelines until it becomes habitual:
Keep your body in a "mid-line" position, where both your head and neck are kept roughly straight.
Avoid sleeping on your stomach. It's difficult to maintain the proper position, and it is more likely to cause aches and pains. If you wish to sleep on your stomach, put your pillow under your hips instead of under your head.
4. Use a wider pillow.
If your pillow is too skinny, it will cause your head to tilt down toward the mattress. Likewise, don't stack your pillows so that your head is propped at an angle.
Place a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side. This will support your hips and make this position more comfortable.
Try placing a pillow under your legs if you sleep on your back.
5. Make your space dark an hour or two before bed.
Exposure to light during the time you're supposed to be heading to sleep can disrupt your body's internal clock. It's one of the primary clues to the body that it's either sleep time, or waking time.[2]
If your home is very brightly lit late at night, try turning off lights you do not need. Darkness makes your body start producing the hormones that make you sleep.
Stop watching TV and using your tablet or phone at least two hours before bedtime too. This can interfere with your body's ability to settle down and get used to the darkness.
6. Eliminate all other sources of artificial light.
This includes windows, LED clocks, computer lights, cable boxes, and all those other devices with blinking, glowing lights and LEDs. You can cover them with heavy paper, cloth covers, masking tape, or just unplug them. Not only will you get a good night's sleep, you'll save electricity.
Turn your phone on silent so you will not be disturbed with texts, phone calls, and notifications. This shouldn't affect your alarm on your phone, if you use one.
If you must have a light at some point in the night, red lights will not affect your night vision. Pilots flying at night use flashlights with red lenses so that their night vision isn't destroyed by white light.
7. Put on an eye mask.
Eliminating all light is the most important thing you can do to fall asleep and stay asleep. Light not only inhibits the production of sleep hormones but also stimulates the body to feel awake and alert. The light can also keep you awake.
Sometimes lavender eye "pillows" can be more relaxing.
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8. Add gentle sounds.
Use a white noise generator that generates various soothing sounds—–surf, wind, steam—–these are sounds that have no shape, and they can help your brain to de-focus on right now..
White noise has been shown to not only help people fall asleep more quickly, but also it can disguise other noises that may wake you during the night.
White noise or natural sound machines are often wonderful. But if you cannot afford one, a fan can make soothing noise. So can a radio tuned to "between stations".[4]
Repetitive or ambient music is very good for falling asleep. What's especially important is that there be no dramatic shifts in the dynamics of the music. Ambient music, such as that produced by Brian Eno, is ideal.[5] Just be sure that the music stops or fades out in about an hour, or it could keep you from experiencing really deep sleep.