How to Relax Before Bed

Adults require seven to eight hours of sleep to recharge for the next day's activities. However, mental and physical stress can make unwinding before bedtime a challenge. Fortunately, you can follow these steps to relax and sleep more soundly.

Deep Breathing. If you often struggle to relax before bed, the idea of preparing to sleep can feel daunting. This creates a vicious cycle that leads to even more stress and difficulty falling asleep. You can break this cycle by practicing deep breathing. Close your eyes and breathe deeply through your nose, counting to five. Then, exhale slowly through your mouth, counting to five. Repeat for several minutes until your heart rate slows and your muscles relax.

• Focus on your breath and temporarily set aside all worries.
• It’s helpful to make this breathing routine a pre-sleep habit so your body starts associating it with bedtime. After a while, your body will recognize the cue and prepare for sleep.

Thực hiện bài tập giãn cơ lũy tiến. Co bóp và sau đó thư giãn từng nhóm cơ trên cơ thể. Đây là phương pháp hiệu quả giúp bạn thư giãn trước khi ngủ hoặc trong khi nằm trên giường. Co các bắp cơ bằng cách uốn cong và nén lại trong vòng mười giây. Hình dung cơ bắp co lại. Sau đó thả lỏng toàn bộ cơ thể trước khi áp dụng lên nhóm cơ bắp tiếp theo. Bắt đầu từ ngón chân, sau đó tiến dần lên bắp chân, bắp đùi, lưng, hai tay, và khuôn mặt. Bạn nên tập trung vào trạng thái thư giãn cơ thể và quên đi mọi phiền muộn trong ngày.

• Thư giãn phần cơ bắp còn lại trong khi co một phần cơ bắp nào đó.

Tập yoga nhẹ. Bài tập này có thể giúp cơ thể thư giãn khi chuẩn bị đi ngủ. Bạn nên tập yoga chậm và đều đặn từ năm đến mười lăm phút mỗi ngày để giải phóng tình trạng căng thẳng thể chất lẫn tâm lý. Chỉ cần những tư thế đơn giản cũng đủ cung cấp năng lượng cho cơ thể. Bạn có thể tập xoay và kéo dãn cơ bản. Một số động tác bao gồm:

• Tư thế trẻ em. Ngồi lên gót chân, hai tay đặt hai bên cơ thể, hạ thấp thân người qua gót chân và đặt trán tiếp xúc với sàn.
• Gập đứng. Đưa hai tay vươn lên khỏi đầu, kéo dãn xương sống và nhẹ nhàng gập xuống, giữ thẳng lưng.
• Tư thế Jathara Parivrtti. Nằm ngửa trên sàn, hai tay đặt ở vị trí xa thân mình và úp lòng bàn tay xuống. Gập chân và nâng lên vuông góc với sàn nhà. Hạ chân qua bên phải, đưa về giữa, rồi sau đó hạ xuống bên trái.

Tắm nước nóng. Bạn có thể tắm nước nóng khoảng 15-30 phút trước khi lên giường để giúp bản thân được thư giãn trước khi ngủ. Nhiệt độ nước không nên quá nóng để cơ thể được thư giãn tối đa. Hơn nữa, việc tắm nước nóng thường xuyên trước khi ngủ cũng giúp cho cơ thể nhận thấy một ngày trôi qua và đã đến lúc nghỉ ngơi.

• Trong khi tắm bạn có thể mở nhạc nhẹ và kết hợp dầu thơm để thư giãn tốt hơn. Chọn dầu oải hương hoặc dầu cúc để pha nước tắm mang lại cảm giác sảng khoái.

Tránh xa chất cà-phê-in. Việc hạn chế các chất kích thích như cà-phê-in sẽ có tác dụng tốt trong trường hợp bạn đang tập thư giãn trước khi lên giường. Tránh uống trà, cà phê, hoặc các chất cà-phê-in khác vào thời điểm chiều muộn và tối vì chúng khiến đầu óc bạn tỉnh táo và khó chìm vào giấc ngủ sâu. Cà-phê-in có hiệu quả lên đến 24 tiếng, làm cho tim đập nhanh khiến bạn căng thẳng và bồn chồn hơn.

• Thay cà-phê-in bằng sữa ấm hoặc trà thảo dược, ví dụ như trà hoa cúc hoặc bạc hà.
• Các chất kích thích khác như là nicotin, đồ ăn và thức uống có đường, cũng như bữa ăn lớn cũng khiến cho bạn khó thư giãn hơn.

Tránh uống rượu bia. Nhiều người cảm thấy buồn ngủ ngay sau khi uống rượu bia, nhưng thức uống có cồn khiến cho giấc ngủ không sâu và không thể hồi phục sức khỏe. Ngoài ra, rượu bia còn làm bạn mất ngủ khi thức dậy lúc nửa đêm và không thể ngủ lại được. Vì thế bạn nên tránh xa thức uống có cồn nếu muốn có giấc ngủ ngon.

Engage in physical activities during the day. Keeping your body active during the day makes it easier to relax before heading to bed. You can exercise vigorously for 20-30 minutes each day, such as running, walking, swimming, or cycling. It is best to exercise in the morning or early afternoon to allow your body to relax comfortably, rather than exercising in the evening, which might generate more energy and make it harder to unwind.

Set aside time to unwind before bed. Instead of jumping straight into bed and waiting to relax, spend 15-30 minutes unwinding after a long, stressful day. You can use several techniques to let go of any worries and clear your mind. Consider:

• Making a list of things you've accomplished during the day.
• Reviewing your tasks on the to-do list. It’s important to note even the smallest daily activities, as these can be sources of stress.
• Writing in a journal or notebook.
• Writing down tasks for the following day to avoid worrying about them while lying in bed.
• Meditating for 15-30 minutes to help calm your mind.

Distract your mind rather than letting it spiral into worry. If you can’t relax in bed, don’t allow yourself to stay in a state of anxiety for too long. If you've been lying in bed for 15-30 minutes without feeling any relief, get up and try another relaxation activity. Stress won’t go away on its own, but you can take a warm bath, read a book, or listen to classical music for about 15 minutes before trying to fall asleep again. Distraction activities should not involve bright lights.

Avoid electronic devices at night. Watching TV, using a computer, or staring at a phone screen can hinder your ability to relax and fall asleep. Furthermore, looking at bright screens late at night can interfere with melatonin production, which regulates your sleep cycle. You should avoid using electronic devices right before bed.

• Some evidence suggests that playing games at night can lead to insomnia, and teenagers using phones in bed may feel drowsy during the day.

Visualize positive imagery. Visualization exercises can help ease stress and anxiety. If you're feeling uneasy before bedtime, try practicing visualization. Imagine a scene that brings you joy and relaxation. Picture the landscape, sounds, scents, and flavors you wish to experience. This can either be an imaginary scene or a cherished memory from your past. You can envision settings such as:

• A tropical beach.
• A cool, shaded forest.
• A childhood amusement park.

Exercise your mind before bed. If you're struggling to shake off the worries of the day, give your brain a workout to help calm your thoughts. Some exercises include crossword puzzles, number games, or even memorizing a poem or song. These simple tasks not only help you relax but also help you forget the stresses of the day. Some examples include:

• Sudoku
• Crossword puzzles
• Singing your favorite song backward
• Listing authors whose names begin with a specific letter, like the letter B.

Go to bed on time. Having a fixed sleep schedule plays a crucial role in ensuring your body rests at the right time. Sticking to a regular sleep routine is beneficial because it aligns with your body's natural biological rhythm. Both children and adults should go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.

Avoid hitting the snooze button. The snooze button may be tempting, but it doesn’t lead to quality sleep. Instead, you may feel groggy during the day and wide awake at night when you actually need rest. Try to resist pressing "snooze" and get out of bed right away.

Avoid excessive napping. You should limit this as much as possible. If you can save your rest for the evening, you'll enjoy deeper sleep.

• If you need to take a nap, limit it to no more than 30 minutes and do so in the early afternoon while there's still daylight. Napping too long or late in the day can interfere with your ability to relax before your nighttime sleep.

Wake up at the same time each morning. This may not always be easy, but if you want to maintain a consistent schedule, try to avoid sleeping in as much as possible. Set a fixed alarm for both weekends and weekdays. Waking up and going to bed at the same time every day helps your body adjust to a more restful sleep.

Create a nightly curfew routine. You should engage in a relaxing activity for 15-30 minutes each evening before bed. Take a warm bath, stretch your muscles, read a book, or listen to soft music. These activities, if done every evening, signal your body that it's almost time to sleep. By incorporating relaxation techniques into your nightly routine, you'll find it easier to drift off to sleep and stay asleep through the night. The goal is to let your body know it's time to relax and prepare for rest.

Use the bedroom exclusively for rest and intimacy. Avoid working, making phone calls, or paying bills while in bed. Instead, make a habit of using your bed solely for sleeping and intimacy. Treat your bedroom as a space for relaxation, not for work. Keep your bedding clean and avoid working in bed.

Create a comfortable atmosphere. Your bedroom should be a place for relaxation, offering a sense of safety, free from pressure, disturbances, or anything unpleasant. Avoid working or engaging in stressful activities in the bedroom. Remove electronic devices or noisy items such as televisions, computers, and phones.

• You may also consider painting your bedroom in calming colors like light blue or gray, using soft lighting, and incorporating soothing scents like lavender essential oils or sachets to promote better sleep.

Turn off the lights while sleeping. To help your body relax and sleep better, avoid leaving the room illuminated. The hormone melatonin, which regulates sleep, is highly sensitive to light. To check if your room is too bright, turn off all lights at night and wait for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. If you can still see objects clearly, your room has too much light. Look for sources of light and turn them off.

• If there are streetlights in your area, you can cover your windows with a light-blocking curtain or use a sleep mask.

Adjust the room temperature to be cool. Excessive heat can make it hard for your body temperature to drop, and this drop is crucial for natural sleep regulation. Your body naturally cools down while you sleep, so it's important to keep your room cool. The room temperature should be between 18-24°C. If the temperature rises too high, you might feel thirsty, uncomfortable, or even wake up during the night.

• If possible, open the window slightly to allow for air circulation. A fan can also help maintain a comfortable room temperature during hot weather.
• Keep your hands and feet warm. If it's cold, use a thicker blanket instead of turning up the heat, which can dry out your skin. Keeping your feet warm is especially important, so consider wearing socks to bed.

Choose the right mattress. A breathable, hypoallergenic mattress will help your body relax more effectively while you sleep. The mattress should also be durable and the right size. A mattress that suits your body type and sleeping position will offer maximum comfort and support.

Use a white noise machine to mask disruptive sounds. Noise is one of the major sleep disruptors and can make you feel stressed both before bed and during sleep. White noise is a gentle sound that helps block out disturbances like voices, traffic, snoring, or music from neighbors. You can purchase a white noise machine or use a fan or dehumidifier with a white noise feature. Additionally, these machines are available for purchase online.