Better Sleep for the Sleep Deprived

By Eliza Cabrera on February 7, 2016

Most people at some point in their lives have had one night (or in my case, many nights) where sleep just will not come to them no matter what they try to do. Believe me, we’ve all been there. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you how important sleep is to our overall physical, mental, emotional, and psychological health. The effects of sleep deprivation include memory problems, hallucinations, weight gain, depression, and even death. If you suffer from sleepless nights and constant turning in bed look no more!

1.) Check Your Breathing

This may sound incredibly logical and obvious–who doesn’t breathe when they’re trying to sleep? But honestly, when have you ever consciously controlled your own breathing? We don’t think about counting our breaths and making sure there is enough oxygen to flow through our entire bodies, it’s one of those skills we’ve always known to do and comes completely naturally to us. Thanks to the yoga class I took in middle school, I was able to get a general sense of controlling my breathing to promote relaxation.  As someone who has a difficult time falling asleep, I’ve scoured high and low for a remedy to keep me asleep. Then this almost miraculous solution came across me on Pinterest. Ready for it?

All you have to do in order to fall asleep faster is control your breathing through breathing exercises–inhale through your nose for eight counts, exhale through your nose for seven counts, and hold your breath for four and repeat until you’re sleeping like a baby. Easy right? It truly is! The first time I tried this breathing technique I fell asleep withing two minutes–me, the person who would stare at the ceiling for hours trying desperately to fall asleep.

This is the first step to instantly better sleep.

2.) Track Your Sleeping Patterns

It’s difficult to keep track of the amount of time you sleep each night. Thank goodness to the tech wiz people who have invented apps such as Sleep Cycle which track your sleep cycle for you ultimately leading to better sleep. This handy free app tells you the quality of your sleep, the amount of time you were in bed, the amount of time you were asleep, and even has an alarm function (which is extremely helpful if you’re a heavy sleeper).

3.) Unplug from Your Phone Before Bed

I don’t mean let your phone die while you sleep if that’s what you’re thinking. It’s easy to just scroll through our feeds and look at selfies, statuses, and those delicious cooking videos which can cause you to stay up until 2 a.m. and then you realize “Oh hey! This is why I’m sleep deprived!” Give yourself an hour before bed without your phone–no Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, no social media what-so-ever. If you feel extremely tempted, set your phone to the “Do Not Disturb” mode. Seriously your eyes need a break from the fast paced life you live and your brain does too!

Instead, read a book before bed, meditate, or write three good things about your day. Find ways that will benefit you and your health in the long run.

Goodnight and sweet dreams! Here’s to a better night’s rest!

 

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