The 4 tips For Sufferers of Insomnia
If you're struggling with getting to sleep there are a few approaches which should help at least a little and here they are:
Tip 1: Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation. You start by laying in bed and closing your eyes, and learn to really tell the difference between when your body is in a state of tension and when it isn't. I think we've all had the experience of sitting in a room somewhere and then for example the Air Conditioner turns off and you suddenly feel your entire body relax. The purpose of this is to allow you to more readily notice when your body is in that state, especially if you're tense throughout your day.
You go from toe to head applying tension to each body area for 5 seconds, and then relaxing it for 15 seconds. This process can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes. And even though I'm sure you're the type to get it done in 2 minutes, It's highly recommended you stretch it out for the effects to really happen, and for your body to truly relax.
So, for your feet, you curl your toes downwards
For your lower leg, you tighten your calf muscle by pulling your towards you
For your leg, you squeeze your thigh muscles, while curling your toes upwards.
It is recommended you do each leg individually in the start. I know you may think it's a waste of time but I'm not telling you this because I don't think every second of your life isn't valuable, it's just what the science reveals.
For your hand, you clench your fist.
For your right arm, you tighten your biceps and draw your forearm upwards and towards your shoulder and "make a muscle", while clenching your fist.
For your butt, you tighten it by pulling your buttocks together.
Stomach: you suck your stomach in.
Chest: tighten it by taking a deep breath
Neck and Shoulders: Raise your shoulders up to touch your ears
Mouth: open your mouth wide enough to stretch the hinges of your jaw
Eyes: Clench your eyelids shut
Forehead: Raise your eyebrows as far as you can
Tip 2: Stay away from screens for at least 15 minutes before you go to bed, I know what it's like to be on your phone in bed but in order to have a better quality of sleep your phone shouldn't be on your bed anyway. Furthermore, if your phone has a night light, not just turning the screen brightness down, but changing the screen color to a yellow-ish color, there are apps and websites for phones and laptops if your phone doesn't come with these.
Tip 3: Don't do drugs! Although alcohol and weed can help you fall asleep, A) they reduce your sleep quality significantly and B) They aren't long term solutions to anything.
Tip 4: You lay on your back with your hands by your side and your palms facing upwards, and visualize your nervous system and visualize all the energy coming into your nervous system and flowing from different limbs to your spine. So, imagine all the energy in your left leg being absorbed into the nervous system and flowing up your nervous system into your spine. You repeat this process with your left leg and right arm and left arm and so on and so forth.
Also a tip for waking up: We sleep in cycles of an hour and a half, so time when you need to wake up, be it in 6 hours, 7.5, 9, etc.
I hope this helps some of you, and if you'd enjoy similar content, please follow me.
Credit: https://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files/MuscleRelaxation.pdf
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