Judging from the title, the answer to the topic is simple. Get in bed and wait for your body to sleep. Although it is easy for some people to sleep in, many people lie for hours struggling to fall asleep and therefore don't get a good nights sleep. For those of you who are struggling to fall asleep, read this article and try some of the ideas I am offering.
Tip 1: Stop Working Out
I obviously do not mean that you should stop working out, that would just harm your sleep even more. What I mean is, that you should not work out 6 hours before you go to sleep. So if you normally go to bed at 22:00, stop working out at 16:00. This is simply because your body energy/performance levels are still high after you have been working out, so it is a good idea to let them sink before you try falling asleep.
Tip 2: Don't Drink Coffee before going to sleep
If your body is very sensitive to caffein, it would probably be enough to drink a cup of coffee in the morning to ruin your sleep. Although this is an extreme case, some people tolerate caffein better than others.
When you drink a cup of coffee before you go to sleep, the caffein will stay in your body and therefor interfere with your body trying to calm down. By only cutting out the coffee, many people are going to see a big improvement.
Remember that it is the caffein that is keeping you awake, not the coffee itself - so pre workouts and energy drinks are also included on the "beverages not to drink before bed time" list.
Tip 3: Turn Off The Screen
Humans have evolved to awake and sleep in the same rhythm as the sun. So when the sun went down, our ancestors went to sleep (they couldn't see anything) and wen the sun rised they would also rise.
The problem in our days is that we don't need the sun in order to see, we have electric light and we got our iPads to entertain ourselves with.
By watching television or being on Facebook before we go to bed, we break that awakening rhythm that the sun is dictating.
So in order to fall asleep easier, try to turn off all electronic devices one hour before you go to bed. Turn off the light and phones and simply read a book. It will be calming and if it is a great book, than it is not so bad after all. Your phone is still there when the - sun returns.
Tip 4: Get it out
Get all your thought that stresses you, out of your head. Don't pay the bills right before you go to bed. Any type of stress will keep you awake and thinking about it the whole night.
I know that it is almost impossible not to be stressed trough out the day, but don't do stressing activities before bed time. Your body is going to release stress hormones - the exact apposite of what you need, if you are trying to get a good night sleep.
Sleep and Bodybuilding
If you are wondering why sleep is so important in terms of bodybuilding or athletic performance, read this article. In case you don't have time or you simply don't want to click the link, I am going to tell you it here.
Sleep is crucial for you to get, in order to be able to perform well in the gym or in any other sport. It is also important in order to restore muscle mass. You can't simply break down muscle tissue without taking the time to repair it again. Fortunately you don't have to repair the muscle yourself, your body is going to to that, but in order for the body to do that it needs sleep.
Try some of the tips out and see if they help you. Have a good night sleep.
-Sebastian
