Beyond Tired – Here Are a Few Tips to Help You Get a Good Night Sleep #BeyondTired

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for the National Sleep Foundation. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

When it comes to bedtime, all I want to do is cuddle under my blanket and close my eyes and go to sleep! I can’t count how many times that sleep that I need does not come. Does this sound like you? I know there are many of us, that just lay in bed at night, wishing sleep would come and it doesn’t. When we finally do get to sleep, we wake up the next morning, feeling like we have no energy and the day goes by and we are barely getting through it! That is the story of my life.

 

I can’t tell you the last time I had a good nights sleep. I am either tossing and turning, wishing myself off to sleepy land, or I am laying there with my eyes wide open, thinking of the list of stuff I need to do. I have had a hard time, just getting my mind to shut down for the night. I am always thinking about the stuff that needs to get done, the things I didn’t do that day and so on. While everyone in my house is sound asleep, I am sitting there all alone and wishing I was them at the moment!

If I sleep 4 hours altogether, between the tossing and turning and waking up about 2-3 times a night, it is a miracle. Some nights I don’t even fall asleep and find myself struggle the day away. So tired, but knowing even if I lay down, sleep won’t come to me. I am beyond tired and need that 8 hours of sleep and not knowing if I will get it tonight makes me feel depressed. My doctor recently decided it was time for me to see a sleep specialist and also gave me good advice on how to get a good nights sleep. So I started to implement some of them into my daily routine. Below are my tips to get a good nights sleep.

Make a regular sleep schedule and stick to it

I find that my I tend to go to bed at different times. Well recently, I have been going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning. Do this even on the weekends. Being consistent will help reinforce your body’s sleep-wake cycle and help you sleep better at night. Choose a time when you typically feel tired, so that you don’t toss and turn. It can be tempting to sleep in on weekends, but even a couple hour difference in wake time disrupts your internal clock. If you can’t get to sleep, don’t just lie in bed. Do something else, like reading, watching television, or listening to music, until you feel tired. I do this, and it seems to relax me enough that I can feel myself nodding off, so I stop what I am doing and close my eyes.

Control Your Bedrooms Environment

Sleep in complete darkness or as close to it as possible. I find I tend to fall asleep faster when my room is in total darkness. I even went and purchased room darkening curtains. Create a room that’s ideal for sleeping. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet. If I am to warm, I can not sleep at all! Open your window or keep the fan or air conditioner on to keep a comfortably cool temperature in the room. Try to avoid going to sleep with the television or radio on, because it can be a bad habit that leads to the need to have the TV or radio on every time you try and sleep.

Exercise

I find that if I do about 20 minutes of exercise a day, it tends to help me sleep at night. Regular physical activity can promote better sleep, helping you to fall asleep faster and to enjoy deeper sleep. Timing is crucial, though. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you might be too energized to fall asleep. Try to get your exercise about 5 to 6 hours before going to bed

Have a relaxing bedtime ritual

I find that if I take a warm bath or shower at about the same time each night, my body starts to unwind. I love soaking in my tub. I light candles and put on soft music and just let relax. Letting everything from my day just soothe away. Relaxing activities can promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness.

These are just a few of the things I do to get myself ready for sleep. Over the past couple of weeks, I have noticed by changing a few of my habits, I tend to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. If you suffer from insomnia (can’t fall asleep, or fall asleep but toss and turn), you are not alone. In the United States, approximately 70 million people are affected by one or more symptoms of insomnia. Of these, an estimated 23.5 million people, roughly 10 percent of the adult population, experience symptoms consistent with the diagnosis of insomnia.

I recently discovered a great resource at Beyondtired.org. I always felt alone and going on the Beyond Tried site; I found so many people that are just like me. I read four personal stories on the Beyond Tired site, and they resonated with me. Made me feel like, finally, there is someone that is just like me, going through the same thing I am going through. Beyondtired.org is an excellent resource for people who suffer from insomnia across the country to help and inspire them to get more sleep. I also recently learned that The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy.

https://youtu.be/g1bJk9_1eSQ

I have started to take control back of my life by reading and gathering great information from reliable resources. I don’t want to be beyond tires anymore. I want the sleep I need and deserve!

Also, be sure to check out the Sleep.org. This website is fun and interactive.

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