NIGHTTIMERITUALSIn the same way that Pavlov’s dogs were
conditioned to expect food when they heard a bell chime, your
brain can be trained to enter snooze mode when certain actions
are carried out. Try a warm bath, simple stretches or listening to a
particular song before hopping into bed. The key is to stick to it for
at least a month, allowing time for mental associations to develop.LAVENDERAs well as making your undie drawer smell delightful,
lavender is a natural doziness trigger. The purple flower contains
chemicals that have a calming effect when inhaled, slowing your
heart rate, reducing anxiety and generally making you crave a quick
kip. Try spritzing some lavender oil onto your pillow or massaging
a few drops into your wrists before bed.
ASLEEP-INDUCINGSETTINGEnvironment plays a whopping big
role in helping you nod off – just think of all those restless nights spent
in a pool of sweat during the summer months. Research suggests
the best temperature for attracting some shuteye is 15 to 20 degrees;
meanwhile, a soothing soundtrack of chirping birds and babbling
brooks is perfect for triggering your brain’s relaxation response.
CHERRYJUICENightcap no-nos include: booze; excess amounts
of water; anything containing caffeine. Instead, try sipping a glass
of cherry juice before bed. While black tea or a nip of brandy act as
stimulants, messing with your body clock and keeping you up at odd
times, the fruity drink is chock full of melatonin, a hormone that helps
you figure out exactly when to go to sleep and when to be awake.BRAINEXERCISESNothing keeps a snooze at bay quite like the
whirring of an anxious brain, so try giving your grey matter a rest
with a little distraction. Run through every tiny thing you did that
day, from the moment you got up; count backwards from 300
in multiples of three; choose a memory that makes you smile
and mentally recreate the scene. Anything to avoid unhelpful
clock-watching and dwelling on the fact you can’t sleep.
DOGEARWAXInsomnia is hardly a modern gripe, and in the 1500s,
Italian polymath Gerolamo Cardano had a rather icky tip for helping
you snooze. The scientist prescribed a smear of dog’s earwax along
your teeth for a good night’s sleep. With little data to back his claim
up, however, we suggest leaving Rover’s ears well alone.
CURLINGYOURTOESHere’s something to try next time you’re
struggling to sleep: curl your toes, hold them for a moment, uncurl,
repeat. The monotony of the simple movement relaxes your muscles
and mind in one soothing hit, lulling you into the kind of tranquil
state that’s conducive to achieving forty winks.HERBALREMEDIESValerian root may sound like a delicacy straight
out of Westeros, but it’s actually an effective way to attract a few
zzz’s. Used as far back as ancient Greece and Rome, the handy
flower comes in tea or capsule form – other herbal sleep remedies
include calming chamomile, passionflower and lemon balm.
MAGNETISMNotorious insomniac Charles Dickens spent many
a sleepless night tossing and turning in his Victorian sheets.
His solution? Lie exactly in the middle of the bed, with the bed
head pointing towards the North Pole. Such was his belief in the
shuteye-inducing power of the Earth’s magnetism, that he carried
a pocket compass with him at all times.
REVERSEPSYCHOLOGYIt may sound a little nonsensical, but a
nifty way of getting to sleep is by telling yourself you have to stay
awake. Insist you don’t want to see a cat wearing a hat and it will
probably appear in your head immediately, right? By the same
token, if you instruct your brain to stay alert, there’s a high chance
you’ll doze off without much delay.chasing sleep
GIVE INSOMNIA THE FLICK WITH
THESE SNOOZE-INDUCING TIPS.
Wor d s Sophie KalagasPhotoLukasz Wierzbowskilearn something new