The answer is yes. Actually, make that a double yes.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) reports that about one-third of Americans have experienced some kind of insomnia. And one-tenth of Americans have experienced insomnia on a regular basis.
The thing is many people don’t know that they fuel insomnia with simple, routine behaviors. As a result, they stay awake for hours on end wondering just why they can’t sleep.
If you want to sleep better tonight, consider making these six simple tweaks to your nighttime routine. You’ll fall asleep in no time.
1. Avoid ALL caffeine in the evening.
While avoiding caffeine at night would seem like an obvious way to improve sleep quality, there is one thing you may not know. Simply avoiding caffeine a few hours before bed isn’t enough to give caffeine time to exit your system.
That’s because caffeine can stay in the system for much longer than many people think. According to the National Sleep Foundation, it can take as long as six hours for just half of the caffeine one consumes to be eliminated. This means that if you indulge in a hot cup of caffeinated coffee at 4:00, it may still be in your system when you try to go to bed.
So cut out caffeine early in the afternoon. And if you want to see how it affects sleep quality, keep track of when you consume caffeine and how it affects your ability to fall asleep. You might be surprised as to what you find.
P.S. If you really need a treat before bed, consider decaffeinated tea. Chamomile tea is a great option with proven sleep benefits.
2. Skip the Facebook surfing before bed.
It’s no secret that checking social media accounts is a great way to kill time at night. However, this simple act just may affect your ability to fall asleep.
You see, the body has a natural sleep/wake cycle that is affected by light. And surfing the 'net just before bed may disrupt this cycle. Experts at the National Sleep Foundation say that light promotes wakefulness. This is because photoreceptors that are located in the retina send signals to the brain about what’s going on based on light and dark. This causes the body to want to be awake in the morning and sleepy at night.
Here’s the thing: The body can get confused. Research shows that even small electronic devices -- like smartphones -- can confuse the brain. This can keep us up at night.
To avoid this simple mishap, steer clear of phones and laptops before bed. If you’re bored, try reading. This is a well-known way to distract the brain when you’re trying to wind down. You can even try yoga or meditation. Both of these activities will get you out of the bedroom while promoting the relaxation needed to fall asleep.
3. Wind down somewhere other than your bedroom.
In the medical world, experts often refer to the importance of sleep hygiene. This is the behavior associated with good sleep. One of these behaviors revolves around how you use your bedroom. In other words, limit bed activities to sleep and sex.
According to the American Sleep Association (ASA), one way to do this is to get out of bed when you can’t sleep. The ASA suggests sitting in a chair in the dark during frustrating times like these. If all else fails, go into another room and do something else until you’re ready to try to go to sleep again.
And try to go to bed at the same time every night. This will teach your body exactly when it’s time to go to sleep -- weekends included. If you do get off track, try to resume your normal routine the next night instead of allowing sleep times to change regularly.
4. Have sex.
It’s no secret that sex is relaxing. But did you know that sex can actually help you sleep, too?
According to Women’s Health, sleep and sex are a team due to the hormones that the body releases during sex. Dr. Saralyn Mark tells Women’s Health that sex causes the body to produce oxytocin. (This is what experts refer to as “the cuddle hormone.”) Oxytocin is a natural body relaxer. Sex also reduces the body’s production of stress-inducing cortisol. This helps the body to relax, which promotes sleep. Further, sex can increase estrogen. A study published in the Journal of Women’s Health found that this estrogen boost can promote REM sleep.
5. Eat with sleep in mind.
What and when we eat may affect just how well we sleep. This means you may want to consider eating with sleep in mind.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s important not to go to bed hungry or full. Either of these factors can keep you up at night. Make it a point not to drink too much water or tea just before bed. After all, no one wants to take frequent potty breaks throughout the night. And if you smoke, try not to engage in this habit before bed. It can also keep you up.
6. Put the scent of lavender in your bedroom.
There’s more to lavender than an awesome scent. In fact, it can help you to fall asleep at night.
Studies show that the scent of lavender may be as effective as benzodiazepines when it comes to sleep. And it can improve the quality of sleep in general.
To add lavender to your sleep routine, consider purchasing a lavender pillow mist. You can even purchase a diffuser that diffuses the scent of lavender into the air while you sleep. Another great option is to use a lavender-scented eye mask. Not only will this help to block out light, but you’ll also smell the fresh scent of lavender all night long.