Getting a good night’s sleep can make a massive difference in how your day turns out: You wake up with energy, you smash your to-do list, you take some time to relax and your thoughts are filled with positivity. But if this picture seems impossible to you right now, keep on reading!
I am not going to talk about whether counting sheep works or not (which btw, it doesn’t). I want to make sure you get 5 different alternatives to a good night’s sleep that will require just one thing from you: to open your mind to new mindful ways.
Let’s get started:
1. Disconnect
Picture this: You are all ready for bed in your pj’s, you are feeling tired from a productive day, your mind starts wondering, getting distracted, and all of the sudden: Your phone is in your hand. How did that happen? It’s almost like it’s an automated behavior.
Guilty! A couple of years back, I was the same and this is something I really had to work on!
Artificial lights can actually alter your sleep pattern, disrupting your inner clock regulation and your immune system response. So give your brain a chance to step away from the continuous stimulus!
- Leave your phone out of the bedroom, your bed should be associated with rest, comfort and calm feelings. If you use your phone as your alarm, you can use the screen time feature for Apple or Android to help you detach it from your hand!
- Keeping a TV in your bedroom is like keeping a candy bar in your nightstand. Leave the TV for the living room/lounge room or even better, completely banish it. You’ll be surprised how much time you suddenly have for things that really matter.
2. Unwind
I’m sure we have all felt our minds racing at some point at night: To-do’s, reminders, too many tabs open!
Calming down needs to be a conscious process, in which you purposely take the time to unwind from your day.
Here are two things that can help you to unwind:
- Journaling: Set a timer for 10 minutes and go ahead and dump your thoughts on a piece of paper. Why by hand? Because it encourages you to expand upon your thoughts and form connections between them (and it doesn’t involve a screen, yay!)
- Reading a book can also be super helpful to unwind from your day and at the same time be a great source of knowledge and inspiration. I’m currently reading ‘The monk who sold his Ferrari’ by Robin Sharma, and it’s been incredibly insightful. A hot cup of tea can bring comfort to the whole experience too.
3. Slow down
It sounds so simple, yet, we can’t seem to stop the hustle and the grind. Society has led us to believe that rushing through life, being always on the go and setting our health and well-being on the backburner is somehow a sign of success and power (a very masculine approach to life). Don’t let yourself get dragged by this!
Balancing this masculine urge with your feminine side can connect you directly with your more slow-paced self, your natural flow of energy, and the peace that you are looking for in order to fall asleep (and actually getting some rest!).
“Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.” –Mark Black
A great way to add more feminine energy to your life is yin yoga. Practicing Yin Yoga can help you slow down, relax, and turn inward, which at the same time alleviates stress and restores your energy levels. Its three principles are: Come into the pose in an appropriate depth, resolve to remain still and hold the pose for a few minutes. You can find some Yin Yoga practices on my Youtube Channel here.
If you’re interested in learning more about the yin approach to life, check out this blog post.
4. Get natural support!
Alcohol, caffeine and even sugar can disturb the quality of your sleep. Make sure you take a close look at what you eat near bedtime and be mindful about what you put in your body.
Getting your daily dose of workouts (even if it’s a light one) can help you rest better too. Try walking, or stretching in bed to release any tension.
Ultimately, the goal of this whole process is to help you fall asleep faster, but also get you quality sleep. Taking magnesium pills before you go to bed can improve your resting time immensely: It doesn’t help you fall asleep (try melatonin to induce sleep in a natural way), but it will help your body let go of tensions, slow down your brain activity and relax your muscles.
5. Create an evening ritual
Rituals (or routines) can help your brain feel at ease while following a process towards a goal, because you are so familiar with the steps that you do it without thinking!
For evenings, it works pretty much the same way. Once your brain gets used to the idea of following this routine and starts doing it automatically, it will flow seamlessly
Here’s mine, so you have an idea of what I mean:
- I do my skincare routine
- I step into my dark and cool room (thanks to my AC #balilfe)
- I change into my comfy jammies
- I set up my aromatherapy diffuser (my favorite essence is lavender)
- I do a meditation session (short, 10min)
- I rest my head on my -super comfy- pillow
- I close my eyes and try to clear my mind (read the next section to see how)
In the end, it’s all about finding out what works for you, since our bodies and minds are all different from one another.
Still having a hard time falling asleep? Try this:
After a really long day, my body is usually very tired and in need of rest, but my mind won’t slow down. Mind chatter is real and it can be immensely hard to quiet it down.
What works for me is this: I put on a podcast that I really want to listen to (and I choose a podcast so there’s no screen). So I start listening, super focused, and suddenly the brain chatter stops, and I fall asleep.
Because by listening to something that is really interesting, my mind finally calms down and my body can take over. My go-to podcast: Eckhart Tolle! His teachings have been greatly influential on my spiritual journey, and his voice is super calming.
Taking care of your body, physically and mindfully, will have the results you are looking for: A healthy journey towards discovering your true purpose!
Have you tried any of these tips before? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear what works best for you. Also, feel free to share any other tips that help you get a restful night of sleep.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to offer medical treatment or advice. If you struggle with chronic insomnia or other difficulty sleeping, you may consider consulting with your physician or with a sleep specialist.
