Sleepless nights - tips that really help

Many of us know the problem. You're tired during the day, but you can't get any rest in the evening. We often try to solve this problem by doing things that rob us of sleep. We play around with our smartphone or tablet in bed, turn on the TV or even the bright ceiling light. These light sources signal to the body that it is better to stay awake and we are another step away from the rest we want at night. In this article, we give you some important tips on how you can help yourself on a sleepless night and still get some sleep.

Allow the current state

Paradoxically, if we continue to get upset that we can't sleep, we do exactly what we don't want to do. We continue to get upset and don't get the sleep we need. This often happens exactly when we urgently need sleep - the next day we want to travel, have to write an exam or need to be fit for other reasons. Our reaction is paradoxical. We get so upset about the lack of sleep that we can't rest. It is better to accept this condition and not stress yourself out by not sleeping. It helps if you remember that you can also find more rest in bed without sleep. This state of rest is more restorative than if you were to switch on the TV, for example.

Walking around your home in the dark

If you can't get any rest at night, it can be helpful to move around your home without turning on the light. The light would immediately put your body back into day mode, especially the LED light emitted by flat screens or cell phones. For this reason, you should definitely avoid having a smartphone right by your bed, as the light will immediately put you in a more alert state. To avoid tripping anyway, we can recommend our night lights to your heart. Thanks to the 630 nm red light spectrum, they won't disturb your sleep. Walking around your home in the dark for a while can give you the peace and quiet you need to fall asleep afterwards. In general, it can be said that a 20-30 minute evening walk (Blueblocker glasses don't forget them) can be helpful to improve the quality of your sleep. If you walk around your home, you can also use the time to eat something light - e.g. a piece of cheese - and drink a glass of milk, as this also helps you to calm down.

Write a diary

Sometimes we can't rest at night because we are brooding over one topic or another or perhaps the anger of the day won't let us go. Falling asleep also means letting go, and if something is still bothering us, it is particularly difficult to let go. It can help to keep a diary and write down everything that moves us in a journal and organize our thoughts in this way. This technique can also help you to sort your thoughts on a daily basis. Especially before a long exam period, it can happen that your thoughts and ruminations keep you awake. Apart from the diary, it can also be helpful to make it a ritual to review the events of the day. Think about what you liked about the day and what you are grateful for.

Go into another room and do something analogous

If you absolutely cannot find peace and quiet, you can go into another room and read another chapter of your favorite book or play with a Rubik's cube, for example. But make sure you have the right lighting. Use a red light lamp, for example. Once you have found some peace and quiet again, you can go back to bed and get some sleep. As already mentioned, you should not use a digital device in this situation, as the LED light will make you stay awake.

Use relaxation techniques

If you are frequently unable to rest at night, it may be worthwhile to familiarize yourself with a relaxation technique such as Jakobson's progressive muscle relaxation or autogenic training. These techniques will help you to find the peace and quiet you need, even if you have had a lot of stress during the day and generally find it difficult to calm down in the evening.