There is nothing that influences your day more deeply than your sleep quality. How many times do you just drag through the day having no energy or inspiration after a bad night’s sleep? This happens all too often. Of course you can actively support yourself to get a better quality sleep. It all begins with falling asleep without the struggle.
Here a few true and tested tips for easily falling asleep
Turn off your buzzing mind. Do you have a problem falling asleep as your mind cannot stop thinking about the million things you supposed to be doing the next day? Worried about forgetting the most important tasks? Get out a piece of paper and make a to-do list! Then make a priority list. Separate the most important and the most urgent things to get done tomorrow. Make a plan to get those urgent and/or important things first thing in the morning.
Get off the worry train. Do you constantly worry about the many things that can go wrong? Puts those worries on paper – this will help you put them into perspective. You might even find solutions as a result of seeing your worries on paper. If it is outside of your control, saying a prayer might help.
Get an old fashioned alarm clock. You don’t need all those digital gadgets in your bedroom. Ban the TV and all mobile devices if possible. No, you will not miss out on anything, I promise.
Yoga breathing to the rescue. Take a few deep yoga breaths. You don’t even have to get out of bed. Breathe in slowly to the count of 4, then exhale slowly to the same count. Did you know that exhaling really slow helps you relax even more? Try to exhale to the count of 8… don’t rush those numbers! You might need some practice to exhale twice as long as you inhale.
A warm bubble bath might be what you need to help with relaxation. Take a soothing bubble bath or add a few drops of essential oils to your bath water. (Don’t put the essential oils on your skin and don’t overdose them as they can lead to allergic reaction.) Enjoy up to 15-20 minutes of your bath. Add soothing music, a few candles for perfect relaxation.
Prepare for the morning rush the night before. “What to wear to the meeting tomorrow? How about breakfast? What about the weather? Will there be a traffic jam on the way to the office?” – you might be asking a thousand questions silently as you try to fall asleep. Take 10-15 minutes every evening to prepare for the next morning. Check the weather forecast to help you what to wear and plan for traffic jams. Put out the clothes and shoes you want to wear to avoid any surprise early tomorrow. Prep your breakfast if possible. You can gather all ingredients for a healthy smoothie or prepare a sandwich the night before.
Give in. If you still find impossible to fall asleep, instead of getting angry as you waste precious time, just give in to being awake a bit longer. Listen to some relaxing music you like or read a good book. Poems, quotes or inspirational stories are great choices. Reading thrillers or mystery novels might not be a good choice obviously. Let yourself being taken to sleep on the wings of quality entertainment.
Which of these tips will you try tonight?