Have you been struggling with falling asleep lately? A lot of things can keep us awake, overthinking, stress or simply our sleep schedule has changed during the holiday season. Whichever the reason, there are a few bath tips and tricks that can help you fall asleep faster and improve your sleep. Here are a few:
1. Stick To Warm Baths
If you are struggling with falling asleep, then skip the cold bath and instead draw yourself a warm bath. Warm baths will heat your body up, and when you get out of the bath, your body temperature will suddenly drop which will, in turn, make you sleepy. We bet you are wondering how a drop in your body’s temperature will make you sleepy.
When you are falling asleep, your body temperature drops, and it’s at the lowest in comparison with the rest of the day. In a way, the sudden drop of temperature that a warm bath can cause can signal your brain that it’s time for sleep, much like when your body gets naturally colder because of its daily rhythm, it’s a signal for your brain and body that it’s time to get to sleep.
Extra Tip: Taking a warm bath can truly help you to fall asleep faster and improve your sleep, however when you draw your bath is also important. If you take a warm bath and immediately go to bed, your body’s temperature won’t have enough time to drop. This, in turn, can make it even harder for you to fall asleep. That’s why it’s important to take a bath 1-2 hours before going to bed, allowing your body to naturally heat up and then for its temperature to slowly drop, making it easier to fall asleep.
2. Add Essential Oils To The Mix
If you feel like simply a warm bath won’t cut it with your sleeping issues, then we suggest adding some essential oils to your bath water that will help you fall asleep much easier. However, it’s always important to choose the right ones, because some essential oils can make you more energetic which will disrupt your sleeping schedule. Here are a few essential oils that can help you fall asleep faster:
- Bergamot
- Chamomile & Roman Chamomile
- Cedarwood
- Sage
- Valerian
- Lavender
To improve your sleep simply add 5-15 drops of any of the above mentioned essential oils to your bathwater, and try to take deeper breaths during your bath to further calm yourself down and induce a state of sleep.
3. Comfort Is Important
If you want to fall asleep faster, then it’s very important to make yourself comfortable during and after your bath. If you are uncomfortable while taking your bath, that will only irritate you and make sleep even harder for yourself. We suggest if you are having trouble getting comfortable in your bath to use a bath pillow.
4. Read A Book
If you love reading, then reading a book during or after your bath is the perfect way to further relax and make yourself sleepy. However, if you have the habit of reading on your tablet or phone, then we suggest to pick up a paperback book instead.
The blue light that smartphone and tablet screens emit actually make you more awake, rather than helping you fall asleep. Ultimately, if you feel like your book might get wet or damaged, or you are simply a fan of books in digital version, then we suggest to download an audiobook and listen to it on lower volume during your bath.
5. Shorten Your Skin Care Routine
While taking a bath can relax you and make you fall asleep more easily, what you do after you take a bath is also very important. Make sure that all-important tasks are finished before you take your bath, and prepare to go to sleep to prevent yourself from disturbing your sleepiness.
In fact, we also suggest shortening your skincare routine to prevent yourself from waking yourself up. Keep it simple, something that you can do even in your sleep, like simply putting lotion on your body and then going to bed.