Having trouble sleeping? Try these home tips before taking pills.

Sleeping well?

Sleeplessness/ Insomnia is not just the inability to fall asleep for hours after going to bed. It also includes waking up unusually early in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep when you get up in the middle of the night.

If you feel 'drained' after sleeping, you may not have had enough sleep, or the quality of your sleep may have been poor overall.

I am not a doctor or a 'sleep' expert. I don't even use a smartwatch to track my sleep quality. But through my coaching practice, I have spoken to many people who have trouble sleeping or whose sleep quality is poor.

Also, 'good sleep' is essential in coaching, because if you do not sleep well, you may be too mentally and physically tired to think, feel and act in a way that maximises the impact of the coaching.

Home Tips & Tricks

Over the past decade my relationship with sleep has been a complex one. I have struggled to get a good night's sleep, probably due to overwork and the menopause, so I have tried various tips and advice from all sorts of information. Most importantly, I got into the habit of constantly talking to my body about how I feel after each sleep.

This is a summary of what I have tried and what has helped me.

NOTE: If insomnia persists and gets in the way of a normal life, you need to see a doctor or specialist. If it's an early stage and you want to try DIY remedies, please try the following before taking any pills.

In your everyday life

• Cut out caffeine TOTALLY.
  Try to eliminate all caffeine from your daily life, including coffee, tea, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, etc. and choose decaffeinated. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, snus (Swedish nicotine packs), fizzy drinks and spicy foods that can stimulate the body and mind. Observe how your body and mind react.

• Establish a daily routine, at least for the morning and evening.
  What do you do when you wake up? How do you spend the night before going to bed? What is your daily routine? A daily routine not only makes your life more efficient, it also helps regulate your body clock.

• Take vitamins and nutritional supplements before taking any pills.
  In Scandinavia, where sunlight is drastically reduced in winter, it is common to take vitamin D3. Magnesium is said to reduce anxiety and help you sleep better. Do your own research and read up on sleep. You may also want to consult a sleep specialist. Start with a small dose of supplements to see how it works for your body.

• Release your worries and fears.
  Do you have something that's bothering or worrying you, but you've been ignoring it? Or don't you know what it is? Try to find out what you are not sure about. Talking, writing or doing exercises can help you get rid of your worries and anxieties. Consider working with a professional such as a counsellor, therapist or coach.

Before going to bed

• Ventilate the room before going to bed.
  Open the windows and let the outside air in. Some research shows that the carbon dioxide balance in a room affects sleep quality. Breathing fresh air also makes you feel better before going to bed.

• Disconnect from the Internet.
  If your brain is busy throughout the day, it may help to unburden it for at least an hour before you go to bed. What you see, hear or feel first thing in the morning or just before you go to bed has a profound effect on your subconscious. If you can, switch off your mobile phone and WiFi router completely.

• Journaling
  Don't go to bed with your head full of worries. Instead, unload what you have in your head and in your chest by writing it down on a piece of paper or in a notebook. When you have let it all out, close the notebook or fold the paper and put it under a book or something and go to bed.

• Relax your five senses.
  Avoid stimulating your five senses and rest your sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. For example, you can relax your sense of sight by using indirect lighting, wearing an eye mask, listening to soothing music, drinking a cup of warm herbal tea, smelling aromatic oils, and cuddling and touching your pet or partner.

When you cannot sleep

• Deep breathing
  Breathing is the most basic action we can control over our bodies. If you've never thought about breathing deeply, focus on breathing out. As you exhale, imagine that you are exhaling all the clouds in your head, neck, shoulders, chest, stomach, limbs, etc. Breathe out completely until your body needs oxygen and begins to inhale naturally. After a few times, check that your stomach is getting air and that you feel calm.

• Fingertip tapping
  When your mind is running wild, try tapping your skull, cheekbones and ribs with your fingertips. This will bring your attention from the mind to the body, from the abstract to the physical.

Write your comments if they worked or if you have better ideas!

Godnatt! Sov gott! Good night. Sleep well!

Image by me at my home in Lund, Sweden