Almost everyone knows this experience: Either you take forever to fall asleep, even though your body is sending all the signs of fatigue. Or you wake up at night after a deep sleep phase and, for inexplicable reasons, can't fall back asleep. You toss and turn, maybe even listen to a soothing meditation, but falling back asleep just won't work. Good advice is usually hard to come by then. The classic scenario: shortly before dawn you drift off again, and a short time later the sound of your alarm clock wrenches you out of your hard-won doze, leaving you to get up tired and unrested, struggling through the day ahead. What can you do about trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? We have gathered a few tips and tricks for you on this topic.
Sleep disorders and their effects on the body
There are roughly three possibilities: Either you consistently have trouble falling asleep over an unusually long period of time. Or you fall asleep easily – every time – but then wake up at night and simply can't get back to sleep right away. You lie awake for hours, maybe falling back asleep briefly later on, or you just stay awake until it's time to get up. The following day is usually not your friend: you feel unrested, maybe even in a bad mood. The lack of sleep takes its toll. Or – and this is the worst combination – you have difficulty falling asleep AND staying asleep. What all three scenarios have in common is that, in terms of actual sleep time, you are simply missing a good portion of your usual nightly sleep. This doesn't just leave you permanently tired and cranky; it also has physical effects in the long run.
Because good, regular, and sufficiently long sleep achieves, among other things:
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During sleep, our brain processes everything experienced during the previous day. It tidies up, stores away, processes, and evaluates.
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Getting enough sleep ensures that fat burning keeps running smoothly.
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It promotes endurance and strengthens the immune system.
Now, if your body regularly starts this important, continuous phase of night sleep too late or ends it too early, a few hours of sleep are not enough to let your body do everything it normally accomplishes during sleep. If such a sleep disorder persists over a longer period, the risk of a traffic accident or an occupational accident increases dramatically, for example. Naturally, you're permanently tired and therefore unfocused. Your body reacts as well, and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or depression rises significantly. So what can be done? What can help you fall asleep well again or spend the night sleeping soundly until your alarm goes off?
Tips for falling asleep easily in the evening
There really are a lot of sleep tips to help you get properly tired and fall asleep quickly. First of all: If you are currently going through a very stressful phase of life (exams, a burdensome illness affecting you or family members, a breakup, financial problems), you can at best foster a better sleeping environment, but it may also be that these external stressors need to be addressed first so they stop literally haunting you into your sleep. In that case, how you deal with stress is the main issue, rather than your sleep itself.
However, if you suddenly experience sleep problems out of nowhere that you can't explain, check out the following tips and advice:
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Create a bedtime ritual so that you always follow the same sequence of actions and routines in the evening. This creates a sense of security and has a calming effect.
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Don't eat too late and avoid raw food if possible: When your body is still busy digesting, it is harder for it to settle down.
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Turn off all devices emitting blue light well before bedtime (ideally at least one hour before). That means the TV, laptop, and yes, ideally your smartphone as well.
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Exercise can help, but in the evening it's best to stick to movement that relaxes the body and prepares it for bedtime. Yoga, relaxation techniques, or meditation are great for this. An excessive session of strength training right before bed, on the other hand, is not.
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Try to avoid caffeinated drinks from noon onward, and ideally abstain from alcohol as well.
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Establish fixed sleeping hours, going to bed and getting up at the same time whenever possible.
Tips for staying asleep as soundly as possible
If you constantly lie awake at night, you can try the following tips:
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Don't stay lying in bed; get up, read a few pages of a relaxing book perhaps, or make yourself a relaxing tea with lemon balm, lavender, or valerian.
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Take a slow walk around your apartment or even a short walk outside around the house, and lie back down once you feel tired again.
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Don't stare at the clock and constantly check the time. It only unconsciously stresses you out.
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For sleep disruptions caused by nervousness, herbal remedies containing valerian, hops, or lemon balm can help.
What can you do to create a pleasant sleep environment?
Sometimes even small things can impact your well-being. Try to create as soothing a sleeping environment as possible. If laundry is visibly piling up in the corner, it automatically makes you feel slightly restless. Darken your bedroom with good curtains. A sleep mask over your eyes or earplugs against annoying ambient noise or a partner's snoring can also help your body relax and get better sleep. Pay attention to a comfortable room temperature. It shouldn't be too cold or too warm; 16 to 18 degrees is recommended by experts. Air out the room thoroughly before going to bed to bring fresh oxygen in. Furthermore, the bed should really be used only for sleeping (sexual activity is of course an exception and even beneficial for subsequent sleep), meaning: working on your laptop in bed is off-limits. Watching an exciting action or horror movie in bed isn't helpful either. Aside from that, such movies generally aren't good for letting your body relax before bedtime.
Falling asleep with ease
So there is a lot you can do to make it as comfortable as possible for your body when falling asleep and staying asleep. If your sleep issues do not improve at all, don't hesitate to visit your doctor. There could also be an underlying physical cause preventing your body from resting. Sleeping pills are definitely not a good idea over a longer period. It's better to investigate what the root cause might be and work on getting it under control. And while the good old cup of warm milk with honey hasn't been scientifically proven to help, it's certainly worth a try.
