Sleep is very important for runners, but some of us have difficulties to feel asleep. There many ways to relax, and I will share a list of tips and two technics to feel asleep faster.
People with difficulties to sleep are going to say:
“Another article about how to sleep, but I have tried everything.”
Not being able to sleep is an issue in today’s world. Life is fast, we have busy schedules, but without good sleep we risk injuries.
Tips to relax
There is a solution to take medications to induce sleep. But this is not a long-term solution. It is better to investigate more natural ways to feel asleep faster.
In order to sleep, we need to be relaxed. There are many ways to feel relax. Investigate which one or few of them that is working for yourself.
These methods such having a consistent bedtime routine, avoiding screens, coffee or exercise before bedtime. I will not give details but just a list of technics to relax.
| #Nr | TIPS |
| 1 | Get exercise during the day |
| 2 | Avoid tea or coffee in the afternoon / evening |
| 3 | Avoid alcohol |
| 4 | Change your eating habits |
| 5 | Do not nap during the day |
| 6 | Keep the bedroom temperature cool |
| 7 | Have a comfortable bed |
| 8 | Go to bed at the same time |
| 9 | Keep lights off |
| 10 | Try aromatherapy |
| 11 | Avoid screen time before bed |
| 12 | Read a book |
| 13 | Try meditation or mindfulness |
| 14 | Try counting (slowly down from 100) |
| 15 | Try breathing exercises |
| 16 | Take a hot shower or bath |
| 17 | Take melatonin the “sleep hormone” |
| 18 | Find a comfortable position |
| 19 | Avoid noise |
| 20 | Listen to music or white sound |
After this list of tips to improve you relaxation before bedtime, let’s go deeper in two technics.
Autogenic training
German Psychiatrist Johannes Heinrich Schultz published about the Autogenic training back in 1932. This method is helping to relax and alleviate stress.
Autogenic training is based on 3 main principles:
– Reduction of afferent stimulation (both exteroceptive and proprioceptive)
– Mental repetition of verbal formulae
– Passive concentration
Quick summary of the Autogenic method
You lie on your back, comfortably, as quiet as possible.
You can use a sleep mask and ear plugs.
1 – Concentrate on your right leg. It is very heavy; you can feel each point of contact with the bed.
2 – Your leg is getting heavier. Imagine it is a sand bag.
3 – All of a sudden, the bag is perforated, and the sand is dropping from the bag. Your leg is now so light, lighter than a feather. At the end, it does not weight anything.
4 – You imagine your leg is not part of your body anymore. It detached from the body.
Start again with your left leg, with your right arm and with your left arm.
Then, do the same with your hips, and with your shoulders.
At this point of time, you have only the head, which is in contact with the bed.
Transport yourself (escape) mentally in a small boat, which drift slowly over a calm stream. You can see tree branches just above you.
Relax all your face muscles: the forehead, around the eyes, the cheeks and the jaw.
Enjoy this moment out of time, you are disconnected…
Breathing method 4 – 7 – 8
This breathing method, from Dr. Andrew Weil, can help to relax and clear the mind. This breathing technic can help to bring the body in deep relaxation.
This technic can be performed everywhere without any equipment.
The 4 – 7 – 8 method
First, have a comfortable position. You can seat, or lie. In order to feel asleep faster, it is better to lie down in bed.
Secondly, place your tongue on your palate, just behind your teeth. You will exhale through your mouth around your tongue.
Then start the method:
Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
– Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
– Hold your breath for a count of seven.
– Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.
Final Note : Note that with this breathing technique, you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4 – 7 – 8 is important.
Conclusion
In Conclusion, we reviews tips and the two methods in order to feel asleep faster. I hope it will help you to sleep better. There are other technics, especially developped by the army or boat skippers. All these technics are looling at natural technics to avoid using medication.