8 Tips to Get 8 Hours of Sleep Tonight

Insomnia happens to everyone. If you are unable to fall asleep one night, it could be due to several factors. The temperature of the room might be too hot, your thoughts might be racing, or your body could be sore.

When it becomes challenging to fall or stay asleep for several weeks, chronic insomnia robs your body of the rest it needs.

Although a natural sleep aid could help, what options are available that don’t require a prescription?

Instead of relying on sleeping medication or pills, these tips can help you get eight hours of sleep tonight. Once you start this habit, it is possible to continue this trend to get the rest you need every night.

Do I Need Sleeping Pills to Get Enough Rest?

Sleeping pills are helpful when chronic conditions prevent you from falling or staying asleep. These prescriptive sleep aids are a short-term solution that could return once you stop taking the medication.

That’s why a natural sleep aid is a better solution. These tips will help your body prepare itself for bed, fall asleep fast, and get the eight hours of rest you need to start feeling better.

1. Lower the temperature in your bedroom.

It is challenging to fall asleep when the bedroom is too hot. Since your body temperature changes when sleeping to cool, it helps to go to bed when the temps are under 67°F or 19°C. [1]

Some people like the room a little hotter, while others prefer it colder. It might take a few attempts to find the correct temperature zone.

If you need help speeding up the body’s temperature changes, try taking a hot shower or bath before bed. By encouraging your blood vessels to open, more natural heat loss occurs to make you feel sleepy.

2. Create a sleeping schedule. Humans have a regulatory system that is called your “circadian rhythm.” [2] It’s an internal clock that makes you feel tired at night and alert during the day.

If you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, you can support this regulatory system. As your body adjusts to the routine, you’ll find it easier to fall asleep and wake up.

When you create this schedule, you’ll want to have enough time to get the eight hours of sleep your body needs.

Most people need about 60 minutes to wind down before climbing into bed for the night. When you give yourself time to let your mind and body relax, the structure from this routine acts as a natural sleep aid.

3. Stop looking at your clock.

It is not unusual for people to wake up in the middle of the night. The issue that causes insomnia or morning tiredness is an inability to fall back asleep.

Many people wake up at night. They struggle to fall back asleep, eventually watching the clock as the hours pass. They worry about how they’ll feel in the morning because they cannot fall asleep right now.

The anxiety triggered by clock-watching creates more sleep problems, which causes the individual to watch the clock even more. It becomes a cycle that can lead to chronic insomnia. [3]

Unless you need to have a clock in your bedroom, remove it. Set the alarm on your phone that isn’t easily accessible from the bed to avoid the temptation of constantly checking the time.

4. Avoid taking a nap whenever possible.

When you’ve tried sleeping medication without success, you probably felt tired the following day. That outcome occurs when insomnia is also in the picture. The urge to take a nap can be intense.

Instead of letting yourself take a long nap, a better sleep aid is to stay up until it is time to go to bed.

If you must take a nap because you cannot keep your eyes open, try to keep it to 30 minutes or less. A short resting period can improve your alertness and overall well-being that day.

When your nap is two hours or more, the extra rest during the day can lead to sleeping problems at night. For older adults, frequent napping during the day can even lead to more obesity risk factors. [4]

5. Think about when you eat.

If you like to have a snack before heading to bed, the food could impact your sleep quality. High-carbohydrate meals have the greatest detriment to a good night’s rest. [5]

Some people feel tired after consuming sugars and starches. This outcome occurs because the body attempts to deal with a glucose spike from the foods you’ve eaten. It might help you fall asleep, but the result won’t provide high-quality rest.

Try to eat a high-carb meal at least four hours before going to bed so that your body has the time to digest it.

You might also find that avoiding food at least 2-3 hours before your bedtime routine can help you fall asleep faster or stay sleeping longer.

6. Listen to some relaxing music.

Instead of taking sleeping pills to fall asleep, consider playing some relaxing music in your bedroom. This tip works well for people who have racing thoughts at night because it lets their brain focus on a different sound.

If you need a quiet room for sleeping, consider listening to soothing music about 45 minutes before it is time to go to bed. This option works well as a sleeping aid because it helps to start the relaxation process.

Although music is subjective, the best compositions that encourage sleep are classical, slow, or meditative. [6]

7. Get some exercise during the day.

Daily exercise helps the brain boost serotonin production. This activity reduces the cortisol hormone levels in the body, which lessens the impact that stress has on your sleeping routine.

Although any exercise is better than nothing, moderate-level activities provide results that can be more potent than sleeping medication. You must be careful not to overdo things because too much training can trigger insomnia. [7]

It often works better to get your exercise in the morning to promote better sleep later that night.

If you want to try this option to get eight hours of sleep tonight, try taking a 30-minute walk around your neighborhood. You could also run on a treadmill, do some cycling, or play your favorite sport.

8. Invest in a new mattress.

If your mattress is more than ten years old, it is probably time to invest in a new one. A medium-firm design can improve your sleep, prevent disturbance, and increase comfort.

You’ll want to think about how your pillow supports your head and neck. Some people also sleep better when using a weighted blanket.

Even your clothing can contribute to your rest better than sleeping pills. Try to wear something comfortable that lets your skin breathe during the night to stay at the correct temperature.

Are You Ready to Get 8 Hours of Sleep Tonight?

If you have trouble sleeping one night, you’ve joined a club that includes almost every human that has ever lived.

When sleep is consistently hard to find, that’s when it is necessary to act.

Your health risks for several conditions, ranging from obesity to heart disease, rise when chronic insomnia keeps you from the rest you need.

Are you struggling to fall or stay asleep at night? If so, consider trying our natural sleep aids. You’ll encourage your muscles to relax, support a positive mood, and set the stage so that you can finally get the rest you want.