From pregnancy to little kids waking up all hours of the night and work stress on top of dealing with grief, I have experienced plenty of nights where sleep was not good!
Here are 5 things that have helped me sleep better.
- Choose a bedtime and stick to it even on nights when you don't have to work the next day. Adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep for proper rest and recovery. Our bodies need this time to recover and rebuild. Getting sufficient sleep has been linked to lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and obesity.
- Set a routine. Don't eat anything for 2-3 hours before bed. I often drink herbal teas like these. This can help reduce indigestion and heartburn. (If this is a problem for you, I have more suggestions when you want it.) For the hour before bed, turn off all screens. Screens stimulate the brain and make winding down more difficult.
- Get enough exercise during the day. Even just a 20 minute fast walk will work wonders. If the day is very busy, use this hour to do a wind down yoga routine like this one. This will greatly reduce stress being stored in the body.
- Take supplements. There are plenty of supplements that aid in better sleep. You have to find the ones that work best for you. Magnesium, melatonin, ashwaganda, valerian, and lavender are all great options to try. Personally, I have some favorite supplements that work best for me when I'm having a particularly difficult time. I also have a daily antioxidant juice that I love and gives me so much energy without caffeine or anything artificial.
- Having a relaxation activity before bed. I always have to read for at least 20 minutes before my eyes are tired enough to relax. Other things that assist me with relaxation are baths with Epsom salts (magnesium) and essential oils, tea, and a mindfulness activity like this eye relaxation.
(The first exercise begins with the eyelids open, the head and neck still, and the entire body relaxed. Picture a clock face in front of you, and raise your eyeballs up to 12 o'clock. Hold them there for a second, then lower the eyeballs to six o'clock. Hold them there again. Continue moving the eyeballs up and down 10 times, without blinking if possible. Your gaze should be steady and relaxed. Once you finish these 10 movements, rub your palms together to generate heat and gently cup them over your eyes, without pressing. Allow the eyes to relax in complete darkness. Concentrate on your breathing, feel the warm prana emanating from your palms, and enjoy the momentary stillness.
Follow this exercise with horizontal eye movements—from nine o'clock to three o'clock—ending again by "palming" (cupping your hands over your eyes). Then do diagonal movements—two o'clock to seven o'clock, and 11 o'clock to four o'clock—again followed by palming. Conclude the routine with 10 full circles in each direction, as though you are tracing the clock's rim.)
I hope that any one of these can be implemented for you and some improvement is noticed. Forming new habits is helpful if you try one at a time for at least a week. Then, add in new changes one step at a time.
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