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I don’t know about you but I’ve struggled with getting an adequate night of rest for years. Over time I’ve explored techniques for improving my ability to fall asleep and get quality sleep. I want to share a few tips I have picked up.
Lavender: Most of us already know how calming lavender is but often times we don’t implement it into our lives enough. Personally I enjoy this Aura Cacia Relaxing Lavender Room & Body Mist. I spritz it on my pillows about an hour before I go to sleep–the scent is calming and helps me fall asleep faster.
Turn your clock around: I am one of those people who checks the time in the middle of the night to determine how much sleep I would get if I fell asleep that second. Can anyone else relate? Someone recommended turning my clock around and it has been the most freeing feeling. The less I stress about getting my eight hours, the easier it is to fall asleep. At this point I’ve also realized that I won’t die if I don’t get exactly eight hours of sleep and that realization has helped tremendously.
No tech before bed: Now this is one I still struggle with–as someone who likes to scroll through Instagram while watching Friends in bed before flipping the lights off, I am so guilty of not shutting down early enough. Eliminating screen time an hour or two before bed will help you mentally shut down; all the light from these screens activate your brain and keep you awake. However, it is easier said than done. If you like to catch on YouTube videos or Twitter before bed everyday, I recommend starting slow. Try turning off/powering down/silencing your devices 15 minutes before bed then aim for 30 minutes next week and so forth.
Avoid caffeine later in the day: Most of us know to skip the espresso or switch to decaf later in the day but we often don’t take into account other food with significant amounts of caffeine. Avoid having a chocolate bar late at night. Try herbal tea instead of teas containing caffeine. This is a simple trick that makes a huge difference.
Relax before bed: Find an activity to calm your mind before bed. This can be reading, crafts, yoga, pampering yourself–the list goes on and on. Personally I find stretching to be the most relaxing activity for me. I enjoy doing 15 minutes of yoga poses/stretches to relieve any tension (from sitting at my desk, working out, driving) and calm my mind.
Do you have any tips for sleeping better?
Please share.
