Are you having a tough time falling asleep at night and often end up tossing and turning? People try several popular hacks, such as counting backwards from 100 or counting sheep. But instead of relying on these tricks, let’s try to approach with a more scientific method that works in sync with your body’s natural processes.
Although there is nothing wrong with trying sleep hacks, relying on them too much may actually distract you from understanding what really works with your body’s natural sleep cycle.
New Jersey-based endocrinologist Dr Alessia Roehnelt shared a science-backed trick that is rooted in the body’s natural processes in an Instagram video posted on August 10.
Which scientific hack may help you fall asleep quicker?
There is no need for guesswork when you understand the biology of how your body prepares for sleep. Dr Roehnelt recommended taking a warm shower or bath before bedtime, reasoning that the missing piece may be the drop in body temperature required to signal that it is time to rest.
She said, “A drop in temperature a few hours before bedtime is what tells your body it is time to fall asleep. But the speed of that decline is what determines how quickly you will fall asleep.”
You may think that you need to feel mentally tired to fall asleep, but the answer may also lie in your core body temperature. The body’s core temperature naturally begins to decline in the evening, and how quickly it falls may influence how soon you drift off. This natural cooling process can further be facilitated by taking a warm shower before bedtime. As per the doctor, this isn’t a trend; it’s basic thermoregulation, which is all about maintaining internal core body temperature.
What should the routine be?
The doctor explained how this works step by step: “If you take a warm shower or bath before, heat up, and then get out and allow your body temperature to come down, you are speeding up and amplifying this natural temperature drop.” She then highlighted that this reduces the time you may take to fall asleep.
Whether you prefer a warm shower, a bath, or even a sauna, timing here is more important than the method. The endocrinologist said, “Whether it is a hot shower, a hot bath, or using a sauna, it does seem that the ideal time to do this might be about 60 to 90 minutes before bedtime. That is some time body has time to do cooling.”
Dr Roehnelt practices endocrinology at Summit Health. Her areas of interest include thyroid disease, thyroid cancer, thyroid disease in pregnancy, parathyroid disorders, pituitary disease, adrenal disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, transgender medicine, osteoporosis, diabetes, and diabetes in pregnancy.
