REMOVE ELECTRONICS: watching tv, looking at your phone and working on your laptop in bed creates a non sleeping environment to your brain. You basically train yourself to think of your bed as a place to answer emails, watch funny videos, etc. instead of a place to wind down and sleep. Also the blue light emitted by the screens reduces the production of melatonin, a hormone critical to your sleep cycle.

BLACK OUT ANY LIGHT: exposure to any light at bedtime or too much right before can prevent you from getting to sleep. The light, even a small amount such as the little bit coming in your window from a street light, stimulates a nerve pathway that controls hormones and makes your body think it’s time to be awake. Black out curtains and eye masks are ways to achieve total darkness.

MAGNESIUM: A study in the Journal of Research concluded that magnesium can improve insomnia and sleep efficiency. There are many ways to get magnesium in: Eat magnesium rich foods such as dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, almonds, avocados and bananas. You could also take it the supplement, either as a powder in a drink or in pill form.

USE LAVENDER: Lavender has been used for medicinal purposes for over 2,500 years. And a recent study by the Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine found lavender oil to have immediate improvement on insomnia. Lavender can be used in many ways such as diffused in the air, a drop or two of essential oil on your pillow, lavender balms to rub on temples, and lavender infused bathing products.

MEDITATE: the reason so many of can’t get to sleep is our minds are racing. Meditation is a way to calm down the mind and bring focus on your breathing instead of anything else it can thing of. You can do self guided meditation or download a meditation app for some guidance. HeadSpace is a good one to start with. 

JOURNAL: getting all those racing thoughts on paper is another way to get to sleep. Sometimes we are either replaying the day’s events or thinking about what we have to do tomorrow. Put pen to paper and journal and/or write out a plan for the following day. It will help give you peace of mind.

If you are having trouble sleeping or have any questions, email us infinitytrainers@gmail.com!