1. TURN OFF DEVICES ONE HOUR BEFORE BED
I know how hard this one can be for many of us. A touch of social media, some email, your favorite TV show. It’s only an hour max, right? Wrong! It’s 3:00 am. You’ve been at it for hours. At 7:00 a.m. your alarm goes off. You’ve had no time to wind down your day nor to restore your body and spirit. You awake tired and bleary eyed. The artificial light threw off your body clock. You traded quality time with loved ones for the cute Merengue dancing dogs on YouTube. Worth it? You be the Judge.
2. PLAN FOR THE NEXT DAY
To reduce stress – prep everything the night before. You’ll sleep better if you don’t obsess about what you must remember to do the next morning. Lay out your outfit, socks underwear and gym clothes. Gather your important documents in a folder and place in a zippered compartment of your bag. Finally, pack a healthy lunch to take with you to work.
3. EXPRESS GRATITUDE
Keep a journal by your bed. Before sleep write about all of the people and things which bring you joy. Even the smallest incidents from your day can be a source of gratitude. An abrupt encounter with a stranger, your child’s first front tooth, a great yoga class. Anything to remind you of how blessed your life is. It will not only make you healthier in the long run, but also give you a better night sleep.
4. STRETCH
A good body stretch relaxes sore, tight muscles, releases stress and even lengthens tendons. A relaxed body will help decrease aches and allow your body to feel as though it’s melting into the bed. You’ll be asleep like a small child, without a care in the world. When you awaken, your body and spirit will be ready for anything thrown at it.
5. TAKE A GOOD BOOK TO BED WITH YOU
Without the stimulus of sound and vision, your nerves calm down. A typical day is noisy, hyper-active and stressful. On our commute to the job, at work and often at home, dealing with human dynamics is exhausting. Most popular TV shows and movies are loud and have disturbing visuals and flashing lights. You are likely made of rock if it has no effect on your psyche. A good peaceful book lulls you to sleep gently.
6. MEDITATE
The world we live in is not serene nor peaceful. Daily news bombards us with horror stories. Most of our so called friends are virtual social media friends. Work is often stressful enough to fall into the realm of ‘survival of the fittest’. Overwhelm and anxiety prevails. Meditation before sleep slows the brain down. Insomnia disappears and people awake well rested and feeling great.
7. SLEEP AT LEAST 8 HOURS
Getting enough sleep is key to feeling wonderful. It’s doable despite our busy lives. Follow the above steps, go to bed at the same time each day. Meditate, write in your journal and doze off with your book. This routine will help you sleep for 8 healthy hours……so you’ll have one more thing to be grateful for.
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