Things to do When You Can’t Fall Asleep

Sleep is one of the most essential functions of the human body, and having difficulty falling asleep can be extremely frustrating and bad for your health. Here are some tips to make your nighttime routine better, help you get healthier sleep, and find some good books to read before going to bed.

Nighttime Routine Tips

When you are getting ready for bed, there are a few things you should do to get your body ready for sleep. First, you should avoid excessive stimulation such as loud noise and a busy environment. You should refrain from going to loud and busy events on nights where it is essential that you get enough sleep. Second, you should not drink caffeinated beverages in the evening. Caffeine affects different people in different ways, but even in the most caffeine-resistant people, drinking a cup of coffee or Coke before bed can interfere with your sleep patterns. Thirdly, you should turn on a blue light filter on your smartphone. Excessive blue light emitted by screens can mess up your sleep patterns, so most phones today have a bedtime feature to filter it out. Fourthly, reading a book is a perfect way to relax your mind in preparation for sleep.

How Reading Can Help With Better Sleep

Reading a hardcopy book helps with sleep because it relaxes your brain. Books do not provide the type of stimulation that wakes you up, so the quietness and slowness help you prepare to fall asleep. On top of the many benefits that reading has for your educational background, getting to sleep efficiently is important for every daily function.

Benefits of Reading Before Bed

When you read a book before you go to sleep, your brain relaxes into a tired state from the stimulation of the day. According to research done by the University of Sussex, reading a book for only six minutes as part of your night routine can reduce your stress levels by up to 68%. Bedtime books help your brain put aside all the stresses of the day and shift into sleep mode.

Books to Read Before Bed

Here are some of the best books to read before bed:

Vessel by Cai Chongda

Set in the Fujian province of China, this gripping autobiography of the author Cai Chongda is a great example of a relaxing book for bedtime. Chongda tells the story of the struggles of his childhood, stories of tragedy, and immigration. As his dedication to providing for his family grew stronger, he learned so many important experiences that he wrote in this book.

My Remarkable Journey by Katherine Johnson

Written by the former “human computer” of NASA, this memoir will give you the relaxation you need for your next day. Katherine Johnson, who received a Presidential Medal of Freedom, tells the story of her indispensable work with NASA that helped get the American space program off the ground. Johnson was part of the group of brilliant women who were popularized by the movie Hidden Figures. Though she died in the year 2020 at the ripe old age of 101, her book came out posthumously the next year.

The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

Set in Britain during World War II, this historical fiction book paints a page-turning picture of what it was like to live under the constant German fire. In the story, four normal women answered the call from the BBC to host a radio show that cheered up the spirits of British people working towards the war effort.

When you read before bed, your brain will become more relaxed, and you will feel refreshed the next day.