Sleep Tight: The Answer to Sleepless Nights
Have you ever had one of those nights when you just can not seem to shut your brain off? All of the troubles of the day, week, and year scramble around like tomorrow's morning eggs. You eventually fall asleep only to wake feeling exhausted, stressed, and like you didn't sleep at all. I think we all can agree everyday is not going to be filled with rainbows, gumdrops, lollipops, and sunshine, but it's what we don't do about those off days that can have a lingering affect on the next.
Once upon a time, my thoughts would run rampant in my mind throughout the night. Even if I went to bed at 10 p.m. I would find myself staring at the clock blinking 3:30 a.m. and then knowing I wasn't asleep yet would stress me out even more. I'd try to fake myself out by playing sleep and hoping for the best, or I would just give up on sleep all-together and start getting ready for the next day accepting that it would be stressful, daunting, and full of caffeine because of my sleepless night. Those days are over.
This method requires 5 small yet effective changes in your nightly routine. These few tricks have helped me avoid and even eliminate the sleepness nights and the morning fog. After reading a lot of articles and listening to a lot of sleep advice, I found the constant trend was the pre-sleep down time. First things first, stop eating after 8 p.m. I don't care what you eat or what you weigh, and your work schedule does not matter either. Eat every and anything you must before 8 p.m. This is not just a tip to lose weight. You may not even want to lose weight, but your body digests food better in an upright position. Why not do whatever you can to foster a good night's rest before night falls, and at the very least eliminate a potential problem like acid reflux or indigestion.
The next change is to allow your mind some down time at least 2 hours before you want to go to sleep. So many of us spend the day rushing and racing around and pushing our issues to the back burner, by the time we should be powering-down our minds are over-cluttered with issues. Your down time should consist of the following 4 steps to a peaceful night's sleep. For one, free yourself from the issues that plague you and may keep you up at night. No matter how big or small the issue may seem, if it has the potential of blocking or delaying a good night's sleep it needs to be addressed. For some, that may mean writing them down or talking them over with your spouse or a friend, but whatever you do, how ever you do it, just get it out of your system. You may not be able to solve the problem, but you know what it is and have set it aside to be resolved at a later date. If you find a solution for it, great, but the purpose is to get it off your mind, out of your system, and let it go for now. That will take practice but it can be done.
Then, you want to tap into all of your senses and give them a positive boost. If you are a tv watcher let the last thing you see be drama-free. If you listen to music, let it be calm and soothing like classical, jazz, or R&B. Then wash away your worries. Make everyday a mini-spa day with a warm bath or shower before bed. Treat yourself to a calm and soothing environment and light some candles or burn some of your favorite oils. Rub your body down (or let someone else do it, even better) with your favorite cream in a scent you absolutely love. If you're a reader, read. If you enjoy a cup of tea or a glass of wine, do so. Ignite your senses with a jolt of positive energy, peace, and goodness.Your body is in your control and if all of your senses say be calm, be relaxed, and be peaceful your mind will have no choice but to get on board.
Finally, turn everything off. Make time to relax your mind, but do so in silence. Our days are always filled with lots muck and noise. Silence is valuable and rare commodity, but it's free so use it to your benefit and relax. If you're up for it, take some deep breaths and blow away your worries. Let happy thoughts be the last thing on your mind before you fall asleep. Concentrate on the many ways your life has been blessed. Center yourself with thoughts of the things that make you smile and bring you joy as you drift off to sleep.
This routine was the answer that worked for me, and hopefully it will do the same for you. I find it to be fail-proof as long as you follow the steps with the determination and commitment to the process daily, a willingness to release whatever your issues may be, intent of living the success of your purpose, and saying goodbye to sleepless nights for good.
Once upon a time, my thoughts would run rampant in my mind throughout the night. Even if I went to bed at 10 p.m. I would find myself staring at the clock blinking 3:30 a.m. and then knowing I wasn't asleep yet would stress me out even more. I'd try to fake myself out by playing sleep and hoping for the best, or I would just give up on sleep all-together and start getting ready for the next day accepting that it would be stressful, daunting, and full of caffeine because of my sleepless night. Those days are over.
This method requires 5 small yet effective changes in your nightly routine. These few tricks have helped me avoid and even eliminate the sleepness nights and the morning fog. After reading a lot of articles and listening to a lot of sleep advice, I found the constant trend was the pre-sleep down time. First things first, stop eating after 8 p.m. I don't care what you eat or what you weigh, and your work schedule does not matter either. Eat every and anything you must before 8 p.m. This is not just a tip to lose weight. You may not even want to lose weight, but your body digests food better in an upright position. Why not do whatever you can to foster a good night's rest before night falls, and at the very least eliminate a potential problem like acid reflux or indigestion.
The next change is to allow your mind some down time at least 2 hours before you want to go to sleep. So many of us spend the day rushing and racing around and pushing our issues to the back burner, by the time we should be powering-down our minds are over-cluttered with issues. Your down time should consist of the following 4 steps to a peaceful night's sleep. For one, free yourself from the issues that plague you and may keep you up at night. No matter how big or small the issue may seem, if it has the potential of blocking or delaying a good night's sleep it needs to be addressed. For some, that may mean writing them down or talking them over with your spouse or a friend, but whatever you do, how ever you do it, just get it out of your system. You may not be able to solve the problem, but you know what it is and have set it aside to be resolved at a later date. If you find a solution for it, great, but the purpose is to get it off your mind, out of your system, and let it go for now. That will take practice but it can be done.
Then, you want to tap into all of your senses and give them a positive boost. If you are a tv watcher let the last thing you see be drama-free. If you listen to music, let it be calm and soothing like classical, jazz, or R&B. Then wash away your worries. Make everyday a mini-spa day with a warm bath or shower before bed. Treat yourself to a calm and soothing environment and light some candles or burn some of your favorite oils. Rub your body down (or let someone else do it, even better) with your favorite cream in a scent you absolutely love. If you're a reader, read. If you enjoy a cup of tea or a glass of wine, do so. Ignite your senses with a jolt of positive energy, peace, and goodness.Your body is in your control and if all of your senses say be calm, be relaxed, and be peaceful your mind will have no choice but to get on board.
Finally, turn everything off. Make time to relax your mind, but do so in silence. Our days are always filled with lots muck and noise. Silence is valuable and rare commodity, but it's free so use it to your benefit and relax. If you're up for it, take some deep breaths and blow away your worries. Let happy thoughts be the last thing on your mind before you fall asleep. Concentrate on the many ways your life has been blessed. Center yourself with thoughts of the things that make you smile and bring you joy as you drift off to sleep.
This routine was the answer that worked for me, and hopefully it will do the same for you. I find it to be fail-proof as long as you follow the steps with the determination and commitment to the process daily, a willingness to release whatever your issues may be, intent of living the success of your purpose, and saying goodbye to sleepless nights for good.
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