How am I supposed to fall asleep? 11 tips for a good sleep.

1. Unwind before bed

Make sure to get down to laps before going to bed. A good book or a relaxing evening activity or even an evening walk. Try to get a routine at what works, preferably every night to get a routine at it! A bath or a hot shower usually works too, as it lowers the temperature and makes you sleepy. The oxytocin is also secreted by it!

2. Have an evening meal

An evening meal with a cup of tea (please try our Recipe 2.0 with a focus on sleep) before going to bed can help you fall asleep. It takes energy to fall asleep. However, do not eat too much, it has the opposite effect, as the stomach has to work so hard. Remember not to drink too much liquid before bed, so you don't have to get up and pee in the middle of the night. Also avoid sugar!

3. Deep breathing and relaxation exercises

Relaxation exercises and focusing on your breathing will help you wind down and fall asleep faster. If it feels difficult, try the app Calm, for example.

4. Physical proximity and touch

It increases the secretion of oxytocin (the calmness hormone) so that you become so calm and harmonious.

5. Dispel your thoughts with music

Listen to calm and relaxing music, it can dispel the spinning thoughts and give you focus on your fatigue.

6. Cool down the room before laying.

Sleep cool, preferably around 14-18 degrees

Does that sound cold? The explanation lies in your natural body temperature – it goes down when you sleep. If you go to bed in a cool room, you speed up the process of falling asleep and fall asleep faster.

7. Dark and silent

Use an eye mask if it is too bright and or earplugs if you are disturbed by noise or snoring.

8. No panic

Be kind to yourself and don't panic if you don't fall asleep right away.

There is no danger in sleeping poorly sometimes – the body makes up for lost sleep by sleeping more deeply the next night. Sleep is actually not an achievement!

9. Start over

Is it really not possible to sleep? Then start over! Get out of bed. For example, take a few drops of one soothing tincture (avoid large amounts of water, so you don't have to pee).

Do something calming (NOTE in dim light, you don't want to signal to the brain that it's daytime) for a while, like reading a book. Go back to bed when you start to feel tired.

10. Write down your thoughts

Stressed, angry, disappointed or other negative thoughts?

Solve it by writing down your thoughts. Then you know that they are preserved, and can more easily let go of what is spinning in your head, and relax.  

11. Move during the day

We included this point last. Because if you sit and read this in the evening/night, it is of little help in the moment.

But to avoid more sleepless evenings and nights, make sure to exercise during the day. A 20-30 minute walk is enough. Aim for a minimum of 10,000 steps per day. It does wonders for sleep, bowels and your overall well-being.