Let’s be honest, one of the worst things is tossing and turning when you’re trying to fall asleep. It’s even worse when you’re exhausted and the sleep still won’t come. Sleep is vital to our health and well-being. We need it so we have energy to function throughout our day, to stabilize our mood and hormones and give us brain power so we can concentrate during the day. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard health professionals stress how important sleep is to the human body.
I used to have such a hard time falling asleep at night. I felt like sleeping was getting in my way because there wasn’t enough time in the day for all the things I wanted to do. I was so wired that even though I felt exhausted, I climbed into bed and it still took me forever until I could actually fall asleep! I would then begin to feel panicked, knowing that it was cutting into my sleep time. My mind would race and it made falling asleep even worse. But I had no nightly routine. When you’re constantly go, go, go until the moment you climb into bed, your body and mind aren’t relaxed, so of course they’re not ready for sleep. Since I graduated college and go to bed way earlier now that I’m a grandmom in a 24 year-old’s body, I have a much better nightly routine and I sleep SO much better.
I’m excited to share some tips and tricks that I’ve used to help me fall asleep. Try them out, and see if any work for you!
- Meditate before bed. This has been a big help to me lately. I love using the daily meditation Daily Calm app. Every day the app posts a new 10-minute guided meditation that has a specific intention. It’s extremely relaxing and great for those who don’t like to meditate in silence. If you prefer to meditate in complete stillness, start by setting your timer for even 5 minutes. Then sit or lay (I love laying down to meditate, it helps me relax!) and close your eyes. You can focus your intention on your inhales and exhales, or you can repeat a mantra. If you have a hard time disconnecting from work, maybe repeat the mantra, “I am home,” so you can unwind from your day. Other mantras I like are “I am love” or “Peace lives within me.”
- Set up your room for sleep. Set the mood, if you will. Haha. This is really important to me. I really love natural light and try to keep my lights dimmed in the evening. I usually turn out my lights and just use the soft lighting of Christmas tree lights that I have in my bedroom. Dimmed lighting makes it so much easier to unwind because you’re not so stimulated! I also love to light a candle or diffuse essential oils. It makes a bedroom feel very zen or spa-like. Lavender is my favorite scent to calm me as I prepare for sleep.
- Read. This practice is tried and true. I’m sure we’ve all been there, reading the same sentence four times because your eyes begin to feel so heavy. Reading can help us keep our minds from wandering and is extremely relaxing. I wouldn’t recommend any horror books before bed though — I’ve been there and even though I’m (kind of) an adult, I wish I could’ve climbed in bed with my parents. Not fun. I feel like I never have enough time to read so making time for it before bed has made it a habit for me that I look forward to each night.
- Journal. If you’ve had a long day or your working through something that won’t let your mind turn off, try to write it out. I know this may sound silly and foreign for a lot of people, it did for me as well when I first started but it is a huge help. Journaling about what you’re going through allows you to get it off your chest and makes you feel lighter. It’s really helpful for those things you’re not ready to talk to anyone about. Instead of worrying or adding stress onto ourselves, a pen and paper is the perfect toolset to unload your mind. Don’t even think about what you’re writing — it doesn’t need to be eloquent or even make sense. Just sit down, put the pen to paper and write it out. You don’t have to carry the weight of what you’re going through inside you. Journaling is extremely therapeutic.
- Limit technology-use one hour before bed. I know, what a party pooper. This is another one we hear often, but only because it’s so important. You don’t want to know how many times I’ve said, “ok, I’ll go to sleep at 10 p.m.” and at 9:55, I check Instagram “just for a minute.” And then after mindlessly scrolling and stalking, I look up and it’s 10:15. Not good, Morg. I have such a harder time falling asleep because my mind is still down the rabbit hole of everything I just consumed. Also, shut the Netflix down. It’s so hard for our bodies to fall asleep when we’re stimulated from the light of our screens. Try to turn it off an hour before bed and opt for one of the options above to unwind. Check out this article to read all the impacts technology has on sleep.
Now, I don’t want to be the fun police; I just want you to get a good night’s sleep. I know a lot of these are easier said then done. I’m in a good night routine right now, but sometimes life happens and sleep doesn’t go as smoothly. That’s okay. It’s important to give yourself grace, you can always come back to your routine the next evening. Try a few of these out and see what works for you. It may differ from night to night and that’s okay too! Just remember, health is more than exercise and food. I’d dare to say that sleep is even more important than exercise and food. Give yourself permission to unwind and get the rest you deserve.
Sending you love and lots of ZZZZZs,
Morgan