Rabat – Why does your sleep schedule seem impossible to fix? Even if you feel tired all day and struggle to stay awake, you may suddenly feel wide awake as soon as you try to sleep. 

Your mind starts racing as you think about your next project, imagine conversations, or plan your entire future, and the more you pressure yourself to fall asleep, the harder it becomes.

Try a simple trick to fall asleep

Taruj Ali, medical director of sleep medicine at Mary Washington Healthcare in Fredericksburg, recommends writing a to-do list before going to bed. 

This can help reduce the number of tasks and thoughts your brain needs to remember, making it easier to relax.

Another method is called cognitive shuffling, which was developed more than ten years ago byLuc Beaudoin, a scientist who studies how the brain works. 

The idea is to focus on random words instead of worrying thoughts. To try it, choose a simple word with 5 to 12 letters, such as “blanket” or “garden”. Once you are in bed, think of as many words as you can that begin with the first letter. 

For example, if you choose “bedtime”, you could think of “butterfly”, “basket” and “bagel”. Then move on to the next letter. The words should have nothing to do with each other. Avoid making up a story or linking them together. 

The goal is to keep your mind busy with simple thoughts without making you more awake. You may fall asleep before you finish the word. If you reach the end and are still awake, choose another word and try again.

Make your bedroom comfortable

According to Harvard Health, your bedroom should be mainly used for sleep. Keep work materials and electronic devices away from your bed to reduce distractions and help your mind relax.

Create a relaxing bedtime routine

Try to spend the last hour before bedtime doing something calm. Instead of scrolling through your phone or checking work messages, read a book, take a warm bath or do some gentle stretches. Deep breathing can also help you relax after a stressful day.

What you eat and drink can affect your sleep as well. Harvard Health recommends eating dinner at least three hours before going to bed. If caffeine keeps you awake, avoid coffee and other drinks that contain it after lunch. Smoking can also affect your sleep because nicotine makes you more alert.

Get your sleep schedule back on track

Sleep experts say that getting sunlight in the morning and keeping the lights dim in the evening can help you return to a normal sleep schedule.

This is because light helps control your body’s natural sleep cycle. In the evening, your body produces melatonin, a hormone that helps you feel sleepy. Bright light late at night can interfere with this process, while morning sunlight helps your body recognise when the day has started.

If travelling across time zones has affected your sleep, melatonin supplements may help some people adjust. However, speak to a healthcare professional before taking them to make sure they are suitable for you.

Change your daytime habits

Good sleep starts during the day, so exercise and naps can both affect your ability to fall asleep at night.

Some people find that exercising close to bedtime makes it harder to sleep, while others have no problem with it. Try exercising at different times to find what works best for you.

Naps can help when you feel tired, but long naps or sleeping late in the afternoon may make it harder to fall asleep at night. Harvard Health recommends keeping naps to 30 minutes or less when possible.

If you often have trouble sleeping, try keeping a sleep diary for at least two weeks. Write down when you go to bed, when you wake up and how well you slept. You can also record when you drink coffee, eat dinner, exercise, take medication or stop using your phone.

After a while, you may notice habits that affect your sleep. This can help you decide what changes to make.

What if you keep having trouble sleeping?

Research has linked long-term lack of sleep to weight gain, heart problems and a higher risk of dementia in some studies. Poor sleep can also affect your mood, memory and ability to concentrate.

If you continue to have trouble sleeping even after changing your habits, speak to a healthcare professional. They can help you understand what may be causing the problem and find the right way to deal with it.

Getting better sleep does not have to mean changing your whole lifestyle, it’s just making your bedroom more comfortable, following a relaxing bedtime routine and waking up at a regular time, which are simple steps you can start with. The most important thing is to find habits that work for you and stick to them.