Having Trouble Sleeping? Here Are 11 Tips That Can Help You Catch The Snooze Bug

The pandemic has made things a lot more difficult for us to navigate through. These are uncertain times and for many of us, our mental health and physical health have gone for a toss. Since we are confined to our homes with not much interaction with the outside world, our entire body cycles have changed. We used to have social media as a way to escape real life, but now it has turned into a news platform and we see all our friends in a similar boat as us. Many of us who live in cities have had to experience total lockdowns and it has started to affect our day-to-day lives. Many of us have started to face anxiety due to the uncertainty and this has led to a rise in insomnia. If you are suffering from trouble sleeping due to anxiety related to the pandemic, we have ten tips that might help:

1. Scented Candles And Meditation

Have you ever walked into a spa, taken a whiff, and felt like you were transported to another world? Our noses are very attuned to fragrances and the scent of a good smelling candle can automatically make us feel calmer. They can uplift our energy and soothe our mood. When you couple these scented candles with meditation, it can work as a double whammy and help you sleep incredibly. If you are new to meditation, there are plenty of apps online that can help you out. Scents propagate relaxation and the body can instantly respond by putting your mind at ease.

2. Essential Oil Blends

Aromatherapy can be extremely beneficial for those who suffer from mild forms of insomnia. The most common aroma oils would be lavender, peppermint, chamomile, rose, sandalwood, and the likes. An oil diffuser can really help reduce your stress levels. If you would rather not use an aroma diffuser, you can add a few drops of essential oils into a carrier oil and apply it to your face. Some essential oils can help boost your energy and others can help you sleep and feel relaxed. You can mix and match different scents to create the perfect calming blend that you need to sleep.

3. Consider Investing In A Jade Roller

Giving yourself a facial massage and using a jade roller can really help you combat anxiety and stress. There are plenty of nerves on your facial skin and body and using a jade roller can really help calm you down, improve your skin tone and help you relax. Massaging your face with a jade roller and a cleansing balm can help you calm down before you go to bed. You can try including the jade roller in your nighttime skincare routine.

4. Try Indulging In A Stress Relieving Calm Bath

When the world starts to get overwhelming, there are plenty of products in the wellness and skincare universe that can serve as a form of escapism. When you need to escape from reality, consider massaging a balm of oil on your wrists or adding it into your bath. Adding a soothing blend of essential oils into your bath can really work as a quick fix for anxiety.

5. Slap On A Sheet Mask

Face masks can help calm you down and encourage you to relax and rewind. Since, most sheet masks have to be left on for around fifteen to twenty minutes, this is the perfect time to pick up a novel and get lost in a world of fantasy. Consider covering your eyes with cucumbers as they can help calm you down. The purpose of a sheet mask is not just to wake up your skin’s glow, but also to help you relax and exude coziness.

6. Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Eye Masks

Never underestimate the power of a good-quality eye mask. Sometimes, we can suffer from insomnia because of light seeping into our bedrooms. Even with blackout curtains, there are some things that you cannot control. One way to make sure that you’re getting adequate sleep is to make use of a cooling eye mask that you can set aside in a freezer. Make sure that you pick a fabric like satin or silk to minimize skin irritation.

7. Pamper Yourself With Body Treatment Oil

Don’t have much time to indulge in a luxurious bathing routine? No problem! You can make use of body oil and smother yourself in it. A delicious smelling oil is a great way for your mind to relax and if you have a partner, you can ask them to help you apply it in hard-to-reach areas. In fact, you don’t have to depend on a single type of oil. Any kind of oil, like coconut, shea butter, almond, you name it, a good massage will help you snore like there is no tomorrow.

8. Try A Balancing Body Mist

On days that you feel like your mind is a little out of place, consider spraying yourself with a cloud of amazing mist and letting it work its magic. A single spray of a body mist can elevate your senses and help uplift your mood. Plus, Who doesn’t want to smell like a bed of roses even if life doesn’t feel like it is, right now?

9. Give Chamomile Tea A Try

It’s important to have a relaxing bedtime routine before you go to bed. Many people use chamomile tea to relax and get a good night’s sleep. Chamomile tea is an extremely calming and soothing way to relax before you go to bed and it has properties that help relieve stress. And what’s more, it doesn’t contain caffeine or a lot of calories like regular tea.

10. Consider Taking A Melatonin Supplement

Your body naturally produces melatonin via your pineal glands. Melatonin helps treat short-term insomnia and can control your sleep-wake cycles as well. It is consumed orally and commonly used by those suffering from shift work and jet lag. However, it is very harmful if you start depending on these supplements everyday. Overdose will lead to addictive behavior and lot of other physical side effects.

11. Start Working Out

We are not talking hardcore pull-ups and core workouts. Make it a point to go for a quick run in, morning and evening to increase blood circulation in your body. If you still don’t like stepping out of your house, put on some music in your home and follow some youtube workout tutorials. Since we are all mostly working from home and taking classes online for everything, sitting in one place has turned us into couch potatoes. As a result, our muscles are all jammed and lack of movement is making us lazier. It can affect your sleeping patterns greatly because there is nil physical activity. You can begin with a simple jumping session every day and slowly increase it to proper workouts to regulate better sleep at night. You will wake up all refreshed the next day.

The first step to dealing with insomnia is to correct your sleep patterns. If you spend a lot of time staring at your screen all day and consuming news that is triggering, start trying to focus on completing one task at a time. Divide your activities of the day into a time slot. Overworking or binge-watching will cause unrest in your mind and keep you up at night. It must be tempting to finish off that series with many cliffhangers, but the next day will leave you feeling irritable and drowsy. This will help calm your mind around bedtime. Please do let us know all of your thoughts on this article in the comment section below.

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Niharika NayakBA (Media & Communication)

 

Niharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing video games, and hanging out with stray animals.

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