5 tips to stay asleep all night
You’ve gone to bed and drifted off to sleep easily. But, now it’s 2am, you’re up and you just can’t get back to sleep. Why the sudden disruption?
Middle insomnia, or difficulty maintaining seep, is surprisingly common, especially as we get older. Throughout the night, the body moves between light and deep sleep phases. As the night goes on, “we’re moving toward lighter stages of sleep, so we’re more likely to have an awakening,” explains James Findley, director of the Behavioural Sleep Medicine Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
What’s more, a lack of quality sleep has been linked to a greater risk of sickness, increased blood pressure, weight gain and even impaired memory.
Try these five easy sleep hacks to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Eat a banana before bed
Bananas are high in potassium, which is important for getting a deep sleep. A study by the University of Wisconsin has found that without open potassium channels, it’s difficult to enter slow wave sleep- the deep, restorative sleep phase.
They’re also chocked full of other important nutrients, such as tryptophan and magnesium, which make bananas the perfect natural sedative.
Turn the temperature down
Lowering the thermostat is a simple way to reduce your body’s core temperature. The Centre for Chronobiology in Switzerland has found that when your core temperature dips, it signals the body that it’s time to sleep.
Another option: take a cool shower just before bed to lower your body temperate.
Create a bedtime ritual
Heading to bed with a frantic mind is a big no-no when it comes to getting long-lasting sleep. A key cause is over-stimulation, the by-product of being constantly surrounded by devices that beep and buzz with updates.
Look at your daily bedtime habits and try to create a ritual to prepare your body for sleep. Something as simple as sipping on a mug of camomile tea or doing a crossword with the TV off can make a big difference.
Be sure to turn off all devices, and if possible keep them out of the bedroom. Blue-spectrum light emitted from these objects is known to hinder sleep.
Take a break from alcohol
That glass of wine with dinner might feel like it’s relaxing you before bed but in reality it’s actually inhibiting your sleep. While it might help you fall asleep faster, a night cap will likely cause fragmented sleep and lead you to wake up hours later.
Add beans to your dinner
B vitamins, found in the humble bean, have long been used to treat insomnia. They have been linked to the production of sleep chemicals, and also improve the symptoms of movement disorders that can disrupt sleep, such as Restless Leg Syndrome.
Beans are a great healthy and natural source of B vitamins. Add them to your dinner to give your body the nutrients it needs for a deep night’s sleep.