I Tried These 8 Sleep Tricks, Here’s What Worked (And What Didn’t)

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/i-tried-these-8-sleep-tricks-here-s-what-worked-and-what-didn-t?utm_source=pocket-newtab 

"Wear a Sleep Mask

I haven’t gotten around to putting up shades in my new apartment, so there’s some ambient light from streetlights and lots of sun in the morning. I have a couple friends who swear by a sleep mask, so I bought a cheap one at CVS.

Verdict:

Maybe I need more time to get used to it or to buy a nicer one, but it felt fairly constrictive, and would fall off during the night. I did find it helped me fall back asleep for an hour one weekend morning when I wanted to sleep in, and the sunlight had already started streaming in."

 

 

"Journal Before Bed

For anyone who struggles with anxious thoughts or worries, journaling can be a great way to help clear your head before bed—especially if you write about what’s good in your life. Multiple studies show that writing about positive experiences helped people sleep longer and better. I tried journaling for 10 or 15 minutes most nights too see if it help get me into a better frame of mind—and stop my worries from waking me up at 3 a.m.

Verdict:

I loved this trick. I felt much more relaxed on nights when I took the time to write in a notebook for a few minutes. Of course, I am a writer by trade, but as the research proves, anyone can benefit from this practice. I don’t think I’d commit to it every night, but I’ll definitely reach for my journal (instead of Instagram) after stressful days moving forward."