8 FOOLPROOF HACKS from TikTok that can ACTUALLY HELP you fall asleep at night
- Replies 2
8 FOOLPROOF HACKS from TikTok that can ACTUALLY HELP you fall asleep at night
Getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night is essential for keeping ourselves healthy.
However, with the ongoing pandemic more and more people are struggling with insomnia, which in turn, has led to a multitude of popular videos being made on ‘TikTok’ offering tips on how to get a ‘decent slumber’.
Sleep is essential for your health and wellbeing. Credit: Getty Images.
If you're anything like us and struggle with sleeping at night, then you might want to keep reading on as experts debunked which of the tips floating around the internet can actually give you a decent snooze.
1. Using a red light
Emma Sleep's Dr Verena Senn said, that using a red light can help you fall asleep as it boosts your melatonin levels.
“Sunset lamps found viral popularity on TikTok last year but did you know that red light bulbs can be used as a way to support sleep,” the expert said.
“A study showed the effectiveness of the red light therapy exposure in increasing melatonin levels and boosting the quality of sleep.”
2. Breathing techniques
Another TikTok trend that the expert vouched for, breathing techniques that allow your body to relax and help you fall into slumber easily.
Dr Senn said: “Slower breathing has been found to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), bypassing the sympathetic nervous system, responsible for the body’s fight or flight response. This allows your body to relax and for you to fall asleep more easily."
“A simple way to do this is to count each breath in your head while decelerating your breathing. Bringing your focus to your breathing will also take your attention away from other distractions or worries.”
3. Journaling
Hemp Brand Area 52 wellness expert Alex Nguyen said that jotting down things — such as positive experiences and to-do lists — could actually help you nod off.
Alex said: “Journaling before bed can help reduce bedtime worry and stress, increase sleep time, and improve sleep quality.”
Drinking lettuce water has become a popular sleep trick on TikTok. Credit: TikTok/@lizzymwong.
4. Drinking lettuce water
One sleep trick that has taken TikTok by storm is drinking lettuce water.
Although the tip may sound like a fad, Alex said that lettuce water can actually do the trick as lettuce contains high levels of lactucarium.
The wellness expert said: “Commonly called ‘lettuce opium’, this powerful substance is a sedative that helps promote feelings of relaxation and sleepiness."
“The hack on TikTok suggests steeping a handful of lettuce leaves for several minutes in boiling water, then drinking the liquid, in order to fall asleep faster."
“With this in mind, focus on including salads in your dinnertime routine if you’re having trouble sleeping (if you’re not keen on drinking it).”
However, Dr Senn opposed this claim, citing that the trick does not have enough scientific evidence.
Even if Dr Senn said that drinking lettuce water for better sleep is not backed by science, a lot of TikTok users are trying the hack for themselves. Credit: TikTok/@callmebelly.
5. Eating protein-rich foods
Dr Senn suggested sticking to protein-rich foods instead of drinking lettuce water.
“Foods such protein-rich eggs, nuts and even (perhaps counterintuitively) cheese, contain an amino acid known as tryptophan which helps your body to produce the sleep hormone melatonin, in turn helping to regulate your body clock for better sleep,” she said.
6. Lying awake with your eyes open
Yes, you read that right, folks. Lying awake with your eyes open can actually help you fall asleep.
The trick is an example of a paradoxical intention where it allows you to centre around your body doing the opposite of what you tell it to do.
Alex explained: “This method works as when we tell our brains to not think about something, we automatically do.”
“Therefore, if you think that you are not going to fall asleep, do the opposite and lie in bed with your eyes open and tell yourself you are going to stay awake, eventually your body will do the opposite and you’ll drift off to sleep.”
7. Temperature regulation
Alex said that the temperature of your room is important to get you in the mood for sleep. So, if in any case that your room feels cold, you should put a pair of socks on.
“Wearing socks in bed increases blood flow to feet and heat loss through the skin, which helps lower core body temperature," the wellness expert explained.
“In turn, this helps a person get to sleep faster."
Dr Senn also backed this claim, saying that your body needs to drop by about 0.5-1 degrees.
“Wearing socks at night keeps feet warm and allows the blood circulation here to increase," the sleep doctor said.
8. Tucking in
Although this hack can be a bit more pricey than the other tips, Dr Senn said that this hack is actually scientifically proven.
She said: “Studies have shown that not only can weighted blankets reduce symptoms of insomnia and depression, but they can also help us feel calmer and more relaxed while sleeping, in turn increasing sleep duration."
“Weighted blankets simulate pressure similar to the feeling of being hugged which activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This lowers heart rate, helping us to fall asleep faster and improving sleep quality.”
Do you know any other tips to help those who are struggling to fall asleep? Share them with us in the comments below!
.png){kind=icon}
