Whether you’re waiting to fall asleep or you keep waking up at night, not being able to sleep isn’t a fun experience. Knowing that you might feel tired the next day is frustrating and sometimes stressful. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help you reset and try to get a good night of rest. 

Try to Stay Still

One challenge when you’re trying to fall asleep or get back to sleep is feeling like you can’t find a comfortable position to sleep in. One technique to try is to find a position that is comfortable enough and stay still. Your body knows that it’s time to sleep because of its circadian rhythm. Sometimes, staying still for a few minutes when you’re awake can be enough to cause your body to shut back down and allow you to sleep. 

Get out of Bed 

If you’ve been laying in bed and keeping yourself still isn’t helping, it’s time to get up. Laying in bed, dreading how long it will take you to fall asleep won’t benefit you. Start by taking a slow-paced walk around your house or sitting in a comfortable chair. You can simply enjoy the quiet of the evening or do some deep breathing. As soon as you feel a bit drowsy, try going back to bed. You might just be able to doze right off. 

Try a Meditation 

Meditation is a great way to reset yourself when you’re struggling to fall asleep. There are different types of meditation, but guided meditations that help you recenter your thoughts and guided breathing meditations can help you decompress. By taking time to handle stressful thoughts, you can let go of any worries keeping you awake. Breathing meditations can help to calm your nervous system and get you to feel sleepier. 

Picking a meditation that is specifically made for helping you sleep is important. The Rest App has a wide variety of meditations that focus on different meditation techniques and run for different lengths of time. 

Take Time to Journal

If you struggle to stay asleep because of racing thoughts, it might be time to try journaling. Writing down your thoughts from the day can help you process big emotions and clear them from your mind. You can also write down your to-do lists so that way you don’t have to worry about forgetting them overnight.