In today’s fast-paced world, sleeping is very important – apart from your mood and productivity, all depends on the amount and quality of sleep that you get each time your hit the bed. Since more and more people are finding it harder to get asleep from your strenuous work and late-night socials on your smartphone.

Sleep deprivation can affect everything from your memory to your immune system, heart and metabolism. Follow these tips on how to sleep at night naturally and wake up well in the morning:

  1. Set the Right Temperature

A too warm room makes you drenched, while super cold temps leave you shivering. Choose a range between 60 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit – a little chilly temperature helps decrease your body’s internal thermometer, initiating sleepiness and ensuring you stay relaxed throughout the night.

  1. Develop Sleep Routine

It might seem tempting, but sleeping until noon on weekends will only interrupt your biological clock and cause more sleep problems. Going to bed at the same time every night even on weekends, holidays, and other days off helps to start your internal sleep/wake clock and cuts the amount of tossing and turning required to fall asleep.

  1. Turn Your Bedroom into a Sleep-Inducing Environment

A quiet, dark, and cool environment can help promote sound slumber. Keep your TV in the living room or your laptop and smartphone out of your bedtime, to keep your brain in a rest mode in your bedroom. Moreover, turn off your electronic devices around bedtime to tell your brain when it’s time to get ready for sleep.

  1. Unwind Your Mind

Settle into bed with a delightful book starting about a half hour or so before bedtime to help you unwind and get your brain reading to rest until you feel sleepy.

  1. Engage in Full Body Exercise

Make sure you break a sweat at least thrice every week at your local gym. Studies show that people who are more physically active during the day have an easier time falling asleep than those who lead sedentary lives. Besides, regular vigorous workouts can significantly improve your insomnia symptoms by increasing the time you spend in restorative and deep slumber stages of sleep. It is also linked to the secretion of ‘sleep hormone’ cortisol which is responsible for rejuvenating, relaxing and restful sleep.

What’s more, regular exercise also contributes to your overall health by speeding up your general metabolism and elevating your natural body temperature. Avoid any rigorous exercises at least 5 hours before bed to lessen chances of interfering your regular sleep cycle.

  1. Try the Detox Bath

Try these detox bath recipes to help sleep better naturally; try the Heath-Minded Detox Bath and it was very effective:

Gather Before Your Bath

Pitcher of purified water with some lemon, lime, cucumber or fresh mint for you to sip while soaking.  Make it a big pitcher, too! Dehydration is a common result of this bath. Drink a glass before the bath, sip while soaking and you may want a glass after, as well.  Do not skip this step! You will thank me later for this suggestion.

  • 1 – 2 cups of Epsom salt. This reduces inflammation, relieves stiffness or soreness, induces sweating and the magnesium in the salt allows your skin to absorb this vital mineral.
  • 1 cup baking soda. It is alkaline in nature and it may help balance an acidic system.  It softens the skin as well.
  • 1-2 teaspoons ground ginger. This opens up pores and induces sweating. It also helps in increasing blood circulation.  Here is someone else’s experience with a ginger bath and I must say, I agree! It brings on the heat!
  • 1,000 mg of Vitamin C. Studies show this is an effective chlorine eliminator. You can crush a tablet before adding it to the tub. If you have a water filter for your bath that eliminates chlorine, then no need!
  • 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar. This is Optional. It softens your skin and is also good for those with acne.
  • 3-4 drops of essential oil of choice. This is Optional. Some good choices would be lavender for relaxation or geranium or sandalwood.  One of my favorites is rose essential oil as it smells wonderful, too.

Now Do This

  • Place dry ingredients in tub and begin to fill the bath with hot water, setting the temperature to what you like.  Keep in mind the hotter, the more sweating; the more sweating, the more detoxing.
  • While the bath is filling, this is a wonderful time to dry brush to open your pores.
  • Don’t miss this: Why dry brushing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to soft, glowing skin and many other health benefits.
  • Add vinegar while the water fills up the tub.  Ensure the ingredients are mixing well in the water. Depending on what you add to the tub, the water may turn orange or yellow due to the ginger and vinegar.
  • Soak yourself in the bath for a minimum of 20 minutes but longer is better.

After your Bath

  • Get out of the tub slowly and gently holding on to firm surfaces.  This bath can make you a little woozy.  Go slowly.
  • Briefly showering now is optional, as you may want to allow the Epsom salts to stay on your body for better absorption.
  • Drink another glass or two of purified water.
  • For future detox baths, you may want to make a pre-measured “dry mix” of the Epsom salt, baking soda and ginger and store it in a jar for future use. Shake well to distribute evenly. All you will need when you want to have a detox bath is two cups of dry mix, one crushed Vitamin C tablet and one cup of vinegar if you are using that. And, that large pitcher of water, of course!
  1. Check Your Medications

Some medications can inhibit sleep and cause insomnia, including beta-blockers, thyroid medication, decongestants, medications containing caffeine, and antidepressants. If you’re having trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor about changing dosages or medications.

  1. Eat Melatonin Foods & Melatonin Producing Food

Melatonin is one of the major keys to a natural, healthy sleep cycle. So, eating a combination of certain fruits and carbohydrates that supports melatonin or contain tryptophan which contributes to melatonin production will help you sleep and stay asleep.

Some Melatonin-Boosting Foods are the following:

  • Banana
  • Pineapple
  • Sweet Corn
  • Oranges
  • Rice
  • Oats
  • Tomatoes
  • Barley
  1. Check your Sleeping Posture

Although you can’t correct your posture while asleep, but you can buy the right adjustable beds & mattresses. Adjustable beds can help relieve pain by providing more supportive positions and alleviating pressure points. Pressure points are common on flat surfaces, as the parts of your body catch most of your weight (from shoulders, hips, knees and heels). By adopting a neutral position with both the feet and head slightly elevated, you can restructure your weight and eliminate pressure points. This position also takes strain off the lower back which can reduce underlying tension and pain. Those who have aching feet can elevate them to reduce pressure and swelling as well.

  1. Invest in an Adjustable Beds

All these how to sleep better are null and void if you’re sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress. Your health depends on getting the best sleep you’ve ever had, so you want to be sure that your mattress is up for the challenge.