Do you have trouble falling asleep at night? This could now be over. WELT kmpkt asked two sleep experts for their best tips for finding relaxed sleep in the future.
Good, sufficient sleep is important – everyone agrees on that. But not everyone is blessed with a healthy sleep rhythm. In one conducted from January to December 2022 Opinion poll Statista Consumer Insights found that around 43 percent of those surveyed in Germany suffer from sleep disorders. These include problems falling asleep or staying asleep as well as insomnia. But what do you do if you are one of them? WELT kmpkt has at Markus Kampsa sleep and stress preventionologist and sleep coach Melanie Pesendorfer asked.
Before we tell you the sleep hacks recommended by the experts, please answer a question about your sleeping habits.
Trouble falling asleep? It is important to reduce stress
It is well known that the time change in particular makes people sleep worse. But also Stress and pressurewhether professional or private, lead to problems falling asleep and staying asleep. These in turn cause stress to grow because we just want to sleep. No wonder Markus Kamps recommends: “If you can’t fall asleep, it’s important to first reduce the stress and pressure that this creates.”
Sleep hacks: Reading, bathing and exercising can help you fall asleep
His credo is: “The good night begins in the day.” You have to give the brain time to switch off. Calming activities such as progressive muscle relaxation, a relaxing bath or reading a book can help. The biggest mistake you can make, however, is reaching for your phone again to pass the time until you fall asleep. “The blue light from smartphones and tablets disrupts melatonin production – the hormone responsible for sleep.” What supports the production of melatonin, however, are warm showers or a foot bath before going to bed.
What you may have already heard: Exercising in the evening can make it easier to fall asleep. However, the expert warns: “However, you should avoid intensive exercise in the last two to three hours before going to bed because this activates the circulation and increases the body temperature, which can make it difficult to fall asleep.” If you want to focus on exercise to calm your body, you can opt for yoga or relaxing walks. The advantage: These activities not only calm your body, but also your mind.
This sleep technique has proven itself
But there are other effective methods for falling asleep gently. Markus Kamps particularly recommends the 4-7-8 breathing technique: “You breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds and then slowly breathe out through your mouth for eight seconds. This breathing technique helps relax the body and slow the heartbeat, which promotes sleep.”
The magic word if you have trouble falling asleep: Be patient with yourself. “Sleep is individual and not every method works the same for everyone. But with a little patience and the right strategy, you can find out for yourself what works best,” says Kamps.
Sleep coach Melanie Pesendorfer also recommends “changing your sleeping position or changing your sleeping location”. And especially for warmer nights, she has a very unusual tip that has proven to work: “In the summer, socks from the freezer can help you fall asleep more quickly.”
