5 Top Insomnia Hacks!

Wakefulness at night has become the new norm; some surveys reveal up to two thirds of us are sleep-deprived. However, getting enough shut-eye is vital for regenerating your body and mind. At Keep Fit Kingdom, we believe it’s important to maximise your full potential and if lack of sleep is getting in your way, naturally we’re going to want to do something about it. Therefore, we’ve pulled together 5 Top Insomnia Hacks – ways to tackle insomnia for you to try tonight…read on!

1. Tweak your diet
Certain foods can hinder a good night’s sleep, for example, those that are difficult to digest, are spicy or spike your blood sugar levels. Therefore, avoiding these food groups before bed could help you drift off easier. Conversely, consuming foods high in tryptophan, such as turkey, milk and oats in the evening may aid sleep. This is because tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, which in turn enhances production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Other key nutrients you might want to try consuming before going to bed include magnesium and potassium.

2. Get moving in the morning
Exercise can massively help you induce a restful night’s sleep as it raises your serotonin levels. However, high intensity exercise can also raise your stress hormone (cortisol) level, something that you don’t want at night. If you think this would adversely affect you, try to schedule your sweat session for earlier in the day as opposed to in the evening -lunch time yoga class, or hard core morning HIIT, the choice is yours!

3. Switch off!
Turn off the TV, put your smartphone and tablet away and close down your laptop around 30 minutes to an hour before you go to bed; the blue light emitted from these devices can disrupt with your body’s production of melatonin. Instead of gazing at a screen, use this time for relaxing activities such as reading, having a bath, or listening to music while reflecting or meditating on how your day went.

4. Seek some sun!
Exposure to sunlight during the day can help regulate your hormones and circadian rhythm, making it more likely you’ll fall asleep easily at night. Try to take a morning walk or nip out on your lunch break to get the natural boost your body needs to fall and stay asleep at the right time.

5. Rethink your room
Sleep experts suggest that certain environments can inhibit a good nights’ rest. Subtle things like pastel coloured walls and linen, a cool temperature, and a clutter-free space will help create a calming environment that’s conducive to sleep. There’s got to be a reason why Feng Shui (China) and Vastu (India) -basically methods that aim to harmonise you with your environment have existed and been practiced for centuries right up to the present day and are again increasing in popularity. Now you know why you keep seeing those Buddha head statues and works of art!

Insomnia is being described as a modern-day, global health epidemic affecting over half the population in some way or another and has both acute and chronic implications. However, the fact that it’s very much linked to your lifestyle means you also have the power to handle the problem. Try the above ideas next time you struggle to sleep and experience for yourself how effective they can be…sleep well and sweet dreams! If you need to look into online options for therapy you might find this useful. Have you experienced insomnia, how did you deal with it, what worked for you? Let us know below, join in the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. (While you’re here, why not check out our other articles on health and fitness?)

Elizabeth Cole

Passionate about communicating high-quality nutrition advice, Lizzy holds an MA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and is currently completing her MSc in Nutrition at Kings College London. Alongside this, she runs her own business; Nutrition by Lizzy (www.nutritionbylizzy.com) offering bespoke meal plans and diet consultations. She’s also a keen sportswoman, qualified teacher and aspiring Personal Trainer.

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