Whether you are feeling particularly stressed or suffer with insomnia, struggling to fall asleep can really impact your quality of life and health.
In the run up to World Sleep Day this Friday, the wellness experts at BWell CBD have researched the most popular sleep hacks from TikTok, curating the best tips and offering their own insights to help you drift off into a more restful snooze.
Enjoy A Calming Cuppa
It’s no wonder that so many of us choose to relax with a warming cup of tea in hand before we head up to bed, enjoying the process of letting our bodies unwind as we transition into rest mode after a busy day. Chamomile tea is particularly effective for drifting off into a quality sleep so put some water on the boil and switch out your regular caffeine-filled cuppa for a calming chamomile.
Introduce Bananas Into Your 5-a-day
Bananas are packed with magnesium and potassium, helping your mind relax as well as your muscles. By tucking into a banana not long before you go to bed, you stimulate the production of those key brain calming hormones and produce that soothing energy so you can enjoy some good quality Zzzeds.
Keep Your Feet Warm In Bed
By keeping your socks on as you tuck yourself into bed for the night, you can actually help yourself get a better night of rest. The process of warming your feet up helps to open up your blood vessels, cooling down your body so you can fall asleep faster and get that all important shuteye.
Gently Massage Behind The Ear
Although this may appear to be an unusual hack, rubbing the ridge behind your ear creates an acupressure movement thought to be beneficial to sleep. So, simply rub the area in a circular motion around 100 to 200 times. The end result? Calming your nervous system to help you get ready for a great night of sleep in no time.
Try A Two Minute Foot Massage
With thousands of nerves in the feet alone, they are one of the best points to massage in order to help you drift off. Lie on your back so you can comfortably reach your feet and rub the sole of your foot between the base of your second toe and your heel. Use firm pressure and focus on this spot for two minutes, using both circular and up-and-down motions, for the ultimate foot massage technique to promote better sleep.
Train Your Brain To Follow Routine
Your brain picks up on patterns easily so get into the habit of doing the same activity before bed. Reading a book is a favourite one, naturally beginning to make you feel tired so you can unwind as it comes to bed time.
Although you’ve probably heard this advice before, make sure to ditch your phone before you head to bed as this will keep your brain alert and awake. Yep, that means no TikTok tips on getting better sleep in the lead up to lying down.
Follow The 4-7-8 Method
The 4-7-8 method a popular breathing technique for a quicker doze, as focusing your mind on your breathing pattern can really help the body drift off into a restful sleep.
The process is simple; breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, then release it through your mouth for eight seconds. Repeat this process four times before you go to sleep and see the difference for yourself.
Read: Improving your health and wellbeing with breath
Try Some Simple Yoga Positions
You don’t have to be an experienced yoga fan to feel the benefits of this ancient practice. Set up your yoga mat near the wall and scoot your butt as close to the wall as you can, letting your legs straighten on the wall with your feet up toward the ceiling. Stay here and breathe deeply for at least a minute before snuggling up in bed.
If that’s hit the spot for you, then you’ll find some more great stretches to try after a long day in the office here.
Take The Pressure Off Your Brain
We’ve all been there, counting down the amount of hours we have left before our alarm goes off. Putting pressure on yourself to sleep can make you more anxious about falling asleep for the night and ironically keep you up for longer. If that sounds like you, TikTok users suggests that you try tricking your brain into letting you rest by telling yourself you’re just taking a nap.