by Caitlin H,
Aug 20, 2024
Are you one of those people who finds your mind starts to race the moment you lie down to sleep, no matter how exhausted you are?
You’re certainly not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 15% of adults report having trouble falling asleep, with women making up the majority. According to a study published in Sleep Health, more and more Americans struggle to fall and stay asleep.
Here’s the thing: getting quality sleep is essential when achieving your weight loss goals. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) showcases several studies showing that sleep disorders and lack of sleep increase the risk of obesity due to an association with overeating, eating high-calorie/low-nutrition food, and lowering energy. Lack of sleep is also associated with poor impulse control, which plays a significant role in food addictions.
That’s all good, but can you do anything to help lull your body to sleep — particularly when your mind is racing?
Below is a list of five sleep hacks you can try to get to dreamland as quickly as possible, even when your spinning thoughts refuse to shut the heck up.
1) Crank the air conditioning up.
We all know how nice the “cool side of the pillow” feels. It turns out that having a cool room with a temperature of around 60-65 degrees can go a long way toward helping you fall (and stay!) asleep. That’s because your body sheds heat when you’re lying down, and the lower your body temperature is, the better you’ll likely sleep.
2) Do the 4-7-8 breathing technique.
Rooted in yoga and developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, the 4-7-8 breathing method is a cyclical practice that many use to fall asleep quickly. To do it:
- Touch your tongue to your front teeth.
- Exhale with an open mouth, making a “whoosh sound” as you do it.
- Close your mouth and inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
- Exhale through your mouth completely for 8 seconds.
- Repeat until you fall asleep.
3) Try the military method.
Military members often have to work strange hours and shifts, falling asleep at times well outside the usual 10 p.m.-6 a.m. hours many of us follow. The military method is a tried-and-true practice many of them swear by to fall asleep at any time of the day. Doing it involves deliberately relaxing each part of your body:
- Get in a comfortable sleeping position, relax your face, place your arms at your side, and drop your shoulders.
- Take deep breaths in and out to relax your chest and torso.
- Relax your legs and down to your feet.
- Bring a peaceful vision to mind, such as a quiet beach or beautiful forest path. If you find yourself experiencing intrusive thoughts, recognize them for what they are and consciously return your mind to a peaceful vision.
4) Guide your mind through beautiful imagery.
As with the military method, focusing on a peaceful vision or memory is another good way to fall asleep. As you bring the memory to the forefront of your mind, mentally envision pushing the stress from your body. Then, take deep breaths as you work to recall every element of the peaceful vision or memory: how you felt, what you saw and smelled — the full sensory experience.
5) Take a bath or shower.
If you’ve tried several techniques and you’re still struggling to fall asleep, it might be time to take a warm bath or shower. An analysis published in ScienceDirect found that warm water before bedtime can help you fall asleep faster. Like keeping your room cool, stepping out of the warm water shocks your body, signaling that it needs rest and potentially making it easier to enter dreamland.
The Bottom Line
The anxiety that comes from an inability to fall asleep quickly can be crippling. Disrupt it with any of these natural sleep hacks to get the rest you need for the day and better achieve your weight loss goals.
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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager
Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.