December 18th, 2019 by Chris Chapman

Being unable to sleep at night is something that’s affected us all at one time or another. Whether it’s because of stress, jetlag, being too hot or cold, or any other reason, tossing and turning in bed all night is never a fun experience. If you’re affected by a lack of sleep, read on; this guide will give you 5 simple tips to help yourself fall asleep every night.

Keep It Quiet (But Not Always Silent)

A sudden loud noise will almost always stop you from falling asleep and can leave you feeling wide awake just as you’re about to drop off. Thousands of years ago, this would have been a handy defence mechanism to keep us safe from predators – nowadays, though, it’s just annoying! Comfortable foam earplugs can help soften loud noises to increase your chances of sleeping through them. In the summer months, when you might want to sleep with a window open, this is especially useful for blocking out the sound of traffic, noisy neighbours, and whatever else.

Your bedroom doesn’t have to be totally silent for you to fall asleep, though. Soft, repetitive noises can have a calming effect that can help some people sleep. If you don’t like sleeping in silence, try playing some background noise to help you drift off. Don’t pick anything particularly exciting or interesting (such as a podcast or an audiobook) as you’ll have to engage your brain to listen to them – play the sound of falling rain or crackling fire to help you drift off.

Stay Out of the Bedroom Until Bedtime

In today’s world, bedrooms aren’t just used for sleeping. They’re used for work, for leisure, and even for eating! If you use your bedroom as a second living room or an office, studies have shown that this can actually stop you from sleeping properly. This is because, when your brain has a strong mental link between your bedroom and sleep, you find it easier to fall asleep there. When you spend too much time in bed watching TV, gaming, or answering late work emails, you weaken that mental link and distract yourself from sleep.

Keep out of your bedroom until it’s bedtime if you want to give yourself the best chance of falling asleep. This will help your brain build that association between the bedroom and sleep without any distractions, and you should find it much easier to doze off.

Keep Clean and Comfortable

It goes without saying that you should make your bedroom as comfortable as possible. Many people assume this only refers to getting yourself a comfy mattress, but that’s only part of it! While you should make sure you get the most comfortable mattress and bedding that you can afford, you can make your bedroom more comfortable in other ways, too.

For one, you should remove any clutter from your bedroom and keep it clean and tidy. This will be easier to do if you follow our previous tip and stay out of the bedroom until bedtime! You can also use some nice air fresheners or scented candles to give your bedroom a soothing fragrance while you fall asleep. Lavender, vanilla, or sandalwood are all good scents to look out for.

Be Like Goldilocks

You want your bedroom to be just the right temperature when you sleep – not too hot, and not too cold. The ideal room temperature for sleeping is actually slightly cooler than usual (around 16-17°C) as cooler temperatures and darkness tell our brains that it’s night time. In summer, you might want to use an air cooler or a fan to keep you cool, and in winter, use an electric heater with a thermostat so you can set your room temperature just the way you like it.

While your room temperature should be low, don’t worry about being too cold in bed. In fact, feeling something warm on your skin – especially on your hands and feet – is actually beneficial to sleep as it causes your blood vessels to dilate. This allows your core body temperature to drop to the perfect level for sleep. It might sound counter-productive, but being cosy in bed is actually the best way to cool down your core body temperature!

It’s a bit complicated, but all you need to remember is this; keep a cool room and a cosy bed for the best night’s sleep. Use extra sheets, throws, a fitted electric blanket, or wear socks in bed to keep yourself warm while your room is a little colder.

Turn Off Those Screens

If you’re reading this on your phone while you’re in bed, you could be doing more harm than good to your chances of sleeping! Most electronics give off some form of light, even if they’re not in use. The glow of standby lights, mobile phones, TVs, and digital alarm clocks can all work on your subconscious to keep you awake at night. This ties back into the idea that you should keep your bedroom for sleeping – make sure your TV, laptop and so on are left out of the bedroom!

If you have a digital alarm clock or a phone that you use as an alarm, it’s worth facing them away from the bed. If you’re struggling to sleep, being constantly tempted to glance at the clock means you’ll be getting more stressed about sleep, which stops you from sleeping, which makes you more stressed, and so on, starting a vicious cycle of stress and sleeplessness.

How Do They Sleep at Night?

Everyone is a little different – especially celebrities! Some famous people have their own sleep routines. If you’re struggling to sleep, why not look to the stars and try one of these sleep tips?

Eminem

The rapper demands total darkness when he sleeps, even going as far to tape tinfoil over his windows and around his doorframe. You might not need to go quite that far – just keep electronic devices in your bedroom to a minimum and invest in some blackout curtains.

Mariah Carey

The singer claims to sleep for around 15 hours a day with 20 humidifiers surrounding her bed. While the amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, 15 hours is probably a little much! Humidifiers can help with dry or sore throats and snoring, but you can probably make do with just one.

Wayne Rooney

England’s record goalscorer likes to listen to the sound of a vacuum cleaner or a hairdryer while he falls asleep. Steady, relaxing sounds can be used to help you sleep.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is a man who seems to have it all – but he also suffers from a severe snoring problem. He built a soundproof room known as a ‘snoratorium’ to make sure his family are safe from his snoring. The room reportedly cost $100,000 to build – unless you happen to have that much cash lying around you might have to make do with a pair of earplugs!