Sleep Tips That Were Not Mentioned on the Program

From Sleep: Positive Energy

1. Keep Your Brain Busy

Spending a day wandering around by the sea may make you feel sleepier than usual. Many people attribute this to the magical effect of breathing in the “sea air.” But Professor Jim Horne, a sleep scientist at Loughborough University, thinks there is another explanation.

In his view, sleepiness is not caused by physical exhaustion, but by mental fatigue. According to Horne’s theory, when you go to the seaside, your brain becomes exhausted after taking in all the new sights and sounds. That is what makes you feel tired.

To test his theory, Horne had one group of volunteers walk back and forth all day in a dull hall, while another group went sightseeing. Even though both groups used up the same amount of energy, the volunteers who went sightseeing appeared much more tired.

So if you want to sleep well, why not step outside and spend some time browsing in a shopping mall, taking in the scenery, or visiting a new museum?

2. White Noise

Playing the sound of waves crashing against the shore—or “white noise” (the static you hear when a radio is tuned between two broadcast frequencies)—can help mask traffic noise and help you sleep. 2028
There are now plenty of apps that can play white noise.

3. Lavender

Some studies show that the fresh scent of lavender can help people fall asleep. In 2008, Chris Alford, a psychologist at the University of the West of England in Bristol, put essential oil containing lavender or odorless almond oil on the pajamas of women with insomnia. The results showed that lavender helped improve their sleep quality.

In a similar study, other researchers also found that lavender-scented bath products, pillows, and blankets could improve the sleep quality of infants and their mothers.

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From BBC’s Ten Rules for Sleep

First of all, a huge thank-you to the program’s listener Dison for recommending this documentary to everyone.

4. Foods Rich in Carbohydrates

Research has found that carbohydrate-rich foods promote the production of serotonin, thereby increasing sleepiness and reducing alertness. Protein-rich foods reduce serotonin production, making us more alert instead.

Eating protein-rich foods at lunch can reduce sleepiness and improve alertness, while eating carbohydrate-rich foods at dinner can promote sleep—but dinner should be at least four hours before bedtime.

This doesn’t contradict what the program said about not eating large amounts of carbohydrates before bed, does it?

5. Muscle Relaxation Exercises

Doing muscle-tensing and relaxation exercises for fifteen minutes before bed can reduce stress and help you fall asleep faster.

Notes

• This series of articles, “Little Lessons in New Psychological Knowledge,” was written at the time to accompany the related content of Zhichao Wei: Little Lessons in New Psychological Knowledge. They were published on the now-closed platform Fantuan as short popular-science essays and musings. The original links no longer exist.