Last week I talked about how to wake up early, but one of the most significant parts of waking up early is getting enough sleep in the first place. There are so many ways to keep yourself up at night, but there are not as many ways to fall asleep now to get the rest you need and to put your mind at rest. So here are some things you can do to get yourself ready for sleep.
Get Everything Off Your Chest
I often come home with things from my day still on my mind. It used to keep me up all night because I have to remember it, come back to it, or confront it right away. Still, it’s so important to leave these things at work or build boundaries around work or boundaries around our social lives and situations. For example, I like to set myself up to organize myself so that I am not at home worrying about forgetting something on my to-do list by listing out all the information I need to get the item done quickly. That way, I’m not worrying about my to-do list all night. Also, in a social setting, I like to leave the room clear of any weird juju so that I don’t wonder about what was going on that night, which will keep me awake. Either way, stressful situations can keep you up at night, and finding a way to keep your cool with it and off your mind will help you sleep better.
Again, Sleep Routine
I can’t stress this enough, what you do to get ready for bed matters. It’s a way to tell your body that it’s time to settle down and fall asleep. As a busy person, it’s pretty easy for me to turn on my side and fall asleep because I’m physically tired, but having the routine to get myself in the sleep mindset, I wash my face, brush my teeth, have some hot tea, and read my book. Not only are these things that make you look and feel better, but they help you feel good enough to sleep.
Turn Your Technology Off
Turning off your phone, iPad, TV, and computer before bed isn’t as easy as you think, but it’s possible, and you will thank yourself for it, I promise. Every so often, I say, “I wish I could just throw away my phone.” I had to look at what I was saying, and I concluded that I need to turn off my technology, including my watch. My solution to this is to turn it all off closer to bedtime because after I have put all my to-dos and drama at rest, I can turn off all my communications at night and spend some quality time for my partner and me and get some rest.
Breathe
The benefits are endless for breathing and meditation, but one exercise I use to help my body relax is to breathe in for 4 seconds, hold my breath for 6 seconds, and breathe out for 8 seconds. I’m not sure what it is, but when you breathe out for twice as long as you breathe in, it helps your body and mind relax. Also, this will help your body say that it’s time to sleep if you make it a habit.
Give Your Stomach a Break
Eating right before bed is a hard Eating right before bed is a hard habit to break, but it’s worth it. You don’t have to do this every day either, but it helps your body relax when you don’t have to digest food. My recommendation is to try gentle intermittent fasting, eat during a 12-hour window and the next 12 hours of sleep, wake up, drink warm lemon water, have a coffee or tea, get some vitamin D, and/or journal. I usually eat from 8 AM to 8 PM and from 8 PM to 9:30 PM. I have my sleepy tea, sleep from 9:30 to 5:30, wake up, have my coffee, exercise, and eat breakfast at 8 AM. However you want to do it, it’s your body, you know your body best, and you live your schedule. Find what works best for you and try it for some time and see how you feel.
Whatever your reason is for not getting to sleep, try one or all of these to get better sleep. Of course, some things will work better than others, but even if it helps you a little, it’s a start, and it will start to put you on the right track to better sleep and better days.
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