Trying to go to sleep after a long day can be incredibly difficult, especially if your day was full of stress and setbacks. Many of us, including myself, have turned to melatonin gummies to kick in the z’s. Sometimes, we don’t want our bodies to have to rely on the gummies to fall asleep, as there are better alternatives to try and induce sleep. Now, I am not an expert. If you have something very important to do the next day that requires you to be fully rested, then I recommend taking the melatonin gummies. Just remember to experiment at your own discretion. 

• Try a calming bath

One of my favorite things to do when unwinding from a busy day is to take a calming bath. One thing I do recommend if you like to take baths is to go to Target and buy some Dr. Teal’s lavender bath soak. The first time I ever used this soak, I felt calmer. Not to mention, it smells great too. Lavender is known to have sedative properties, therefore making it a perfect well to help you relax. 

• Read 

I have learned fairly quickly that reading at night helps calm my brain down. This is a great alternative to scrolling through social media, which can keep you up for hours and hours. When deciding to read a book, make sure it is a relaxing and calming book, preferably not anything horror, true crime, dystopian, etc. I’ve found that reading more calming books has helped me sleep better. However, each person is different.  

• Play calming music 

One thing I enjoy doing while getting ready for bed is listening to calming music on my TV. Youtube has a great variety of calming music, as well as pretty backgrounds to display on your TV. This music is very soothing and solemn which sets the mood for going to sleep. 

• Stay away from screens

Screens emit blue light, which can interfere with the production of melatonin, tricking your brain into thinking that it is still daytime. Now I understand, there is always homework to do at night. There are multiple ways you can go about this problem. First, you can do your homework earlier in the day. However, if you do not have time during the day, wearing blue light protection glasses can help block that blue light. This will help you sleep better at night. 

• Drink herbal tea

I thought that this was a total myth until my mom put me on this. She bought me a bunch of herbal tea and told me to drink some if I had a hard time falling asleep. This honestly did very well help me fall asleep faster and didn’t taste bad at all. One of my favorite teas is from Yogi and it’s specifically for stress relief. Again, this is something you’ll have to experiment with as everyone might not get the same results. 

I hope these tips will be helpful when trying to fall asleep faster. Remember that some of these things might not exactly work for you. You’ll have to experiment to find what works best for you. Sleep is important so make sure you are getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night!