How To Sleep Well / Better

Physically, you are completely worn out and wish for nothing more than a good night’s sleep. However, once in bed, you toss and turn, sometimes not getting a wink of sleep all night.

If so, ask yourself the following questions:

• How long has this been this way and how frequently does it occur?
• Are you on any medication and why?
• What time do you normally go to bed? Is the timing consistent or does it vary? If it does vary, why does that variation happen?
• Do you feel well refreshed when waking up or are you tired throughout the day?
• Do you have problems carrying out simple day to day tasks?
• What do you do before you tuck yourself in? Is there a specific routine or does this vary as well?
• What does your diet contain, especially towards the evening? Do you consume heavy dinners?
• Do you snore and does this happen on a regular basis?
• Do you find yourself waking up midway through the night, gasping for air?
• Do you worry about falling asleep?
• Are you anxious, depressed or easily irritable during the day and is this as a result of or is it causing your lack of sleep?

If you find yourself nodding in agreement with more than one of the points above, then you may well have a sleeping problem.



As you get older, you need less sleep, but an average adult needs a solid 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day largely depending on what you do during the day.

Resting your body also means resting your mind. Simply put, sleep presents a chance for your body to repair itself, renewing cells and rejuvenating you.

Curing Insomnia Naturally

1) Room Temperature: Does your room need more ventilation? You could try leaving the door open during the day or installing a ventilating fan in addition to an air conditioner or ceiling fan that you already have.

2) Distracting Noises: While you may not be aware of these noises during the day, they will become much more apparent at night when everything else is quiet. This includes ticking clocks or air fresheners that make noises.

3) Trying to “get some work done” in bed: This is just about the worst thing that you can do. Your bedroom is meant for sleep, relaxation and renewal. Carrying the pressure of a deadline (be it in the form of a laptop or paperwork) to bed with you is going to put even more pressure on you. No matter how important the deadline is, make sure that you set aside some other space in your home to get your work done.

4) Electricity: If you have a desktop computer, television or a powerful stereo in your bedroom, have these removed.

5) Lighting: The less light there is, the better it will allow you to rest. If you have windows that have street light streaming in, opt for thick curtains that will shut light out. Thinking about the ‘brightness’ of your room also includes making sure you have the right colour of paint on your bedroom walls or even the colours of your sheets.

Routine, Routine, Routine!

If you look back at your childhood days, one of the reasons why you generally slept so well is because you had a fixed routine. There was meal time, play time and sleep time.

Try to fix the same time for waking up and going to bed every day. Try to be in bed by 10pm at the latest. This should easily give you, your body and your mind the 8 hours rest that is needed.

The routine does not have to be rigid. There can be some late nights and Sunday mornings or off days. 

A routine for meal times will also help. Consume a medium to heavy breakfast, a middle sized lunch and a light dinner. 

The amount of physical activity you get during the day has a definite bearing on how well you sleep at night. However while you may find it convenient to exercise after work, try not to exercise less than 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. Exercise stimulates you and this can disrupt your sleep.

Your inability to relax is probably one of the main factors that is causing your insomnia. To counteract this, try meditating for at least 15 minutes every day, close to your bedtime.

Alternatively burn aromatherapy oils in your room an hour or so before you go to bed. Recommended scents include chamomile, lavender, valerian root and kava. If you find oil burners exude too strong a smell, you can choose incense sticks, which give off less smell but keep your room ‘smelling’ of calmness.

Try indulging in a soaking hot bath at least once a week immersed in water scented with a particular fragrance that you like. Finding an appropriate scented oil, candle or bath gel with a soothing scent will assist in making sure you are able to calm down.

Your body (this includes your feet) must be clean when getting into bed. It will not help you sleep if whatever dirt, grime and germs you have gathered on your body through the day are carried with you into bed giving you a sticky feeling. Itches can keep you awake.

Feel your mattress. A mattress that is too thick or too thin can also adversely affect your sleep, so try to pick one that is comfortable for you and supports your back. Spending a little more on a higher quality mattress will definitely provide you with the sleep that you need.

Turn your mattress over every couple of weeks. This ensures that the mattress does not sink in only one area. This also applies to your pillows. The material and thickness of your sheets and blanket can also plays a role in ensuring better sleep patterns.

Finally beware: There’s a common belief that alcohol can help you in getting to sleep a little faster. However, your key aim here is to try and sleep well for the whole night and in an alcohol induced sleep you will not do this. It will make you a light sleeper and you will find yourself waking up to small sounds and movements leaving you tired.

Conclusion - How To Sleep Better

Sleep is vitally important in all areas of your life including your physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.

These are just some of the ways you can look forward to restful nights of deep sleep.

Always remember, the calmer you are when drifting off to sleep, the better the quality of your sleep becomes.