Sleep is crucial for our health, our appearance, our productivity and our general ability to function. Having trouble falling asleep is one of the most common problems today’s generation has, but it’s not always for the reason you think. Common and expected reasons for difficulty falling asleep include having too much on your mind, excessive screen time right before bed, having caffeinated beverages too close to bed time, and a bedroom that is too bright. However, there are some more surprising or unexpected reasons you might be having trouble falling asleep, and there might be things you’re doing or experiencing that you didn’t realize could effect your sleep. Below are 4 surprising things that could be effecting your ability to fall asleep soundly:
1. You have a messy or cluttered bedroom.
Hire a maid ASAP, because studies show that a mess or clutter can reduce your ability to relax and fall asleep. Many people believe that a cluttered room leads to a cluttered mind, reducing one’s ability to relax. Psychologists believe that clutter and mess can overwhelm our minds with excessive stimuli, distracting us from the state of relaxation we’re trying to be in while falling asleep. A messy bedroom can stir up feelings of inadequacy and guilt, triggering anxious thoughts which don’t help a person sleep.
The easiest solution is to hire a maid if you have an exceptionally messy room that is impossible to sleep in. Our friends at Mountain Meadow Maids suggest figuring out if you need a regular cleaning or a deep cleaning: “Deep cleans are generally needed for homes that have not had a complete cleaning recently. These generally take more time and are usually used to prepare homes for regular cleanings.” In other words, if your home is causing you stress because it’s exceptionally messy, hiring a maid to do a deep clean comes first. Afterwards, you can start doing regular weekly cleanings by yourself or with a weekly maid service in order to maintain that cleanly, stress-reducing state.
2. You’re forgetting to breathe.
It sounds silly, but you need to remember to take a moment to breathe if you want to relax and fall asleep. While lying in bed, try out the famous 4-7-8 breathing technique. This technique, developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, MD and Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, only requires three simple steps. First, inhale a very deep breath your nose for a count of four seconds. Then, hold your breath for seven seconds. Finally, exhale through your mouth for eight seconds. Repeat this process four times. By doing this exercise, you’re making sure a good amount of oxygen starts circulating in your body, which promotes a state of relaxation. When you do this exercise, you’ll notice your heart rate start to slow down, and you’ll notice your mind and body relaxing.
3. Using the wrong pillowcase.
You may have known that the wrong pillow could lead to difficulty getting comfortable enough to sleep, but did you know that the wrong type of pillowcase also contributes to the problem? Avoid using pillowcases made of rough or hot fabrics, because that makes it harder to sleep. A great fabric for pillowcases is silk, because silk stays cool and it is also a fabric that is soft, smooth and calming on the skin. Silk is naturally cool and soft to the touch. Cooling the brain, known as cerebral hypothermia, slows metabolism and encourages drowsiness. If you don’t have a silk pillowcase yet, in the interim you can try putting your pillowcase in the fridge for awhile before you go to bed.
4. You’re listening to your thoughts instead of calming sounds.
Another unexpected reason for being unable to fall asleep is trying to fall asleep in silence. A silent room is what some people assume they need to fall asleep, but this silence actually make falling asleep more challenging. White noise machines and sound machines are popular for a reason, and it’s because the white noise or sounds of waves can help calm people down. Certain sounds are known for improving sleep. Complete silence, on the other hand, encourages you to give into listening to your running mind. Your anxious thoughts can keep you awake, and focusing on a different sound can be very helpful. You could even listen to a sleep hypnosis recording, and you’ll find you fall asleep much faster than you do in silence with your running thoughts.
