Being Mindful in the Evenings to Get Your Best Night's Rest
Recently I have been struggling with getting a proper night's sleep. I believe it's due to all the new craziness that my mind hasn't really been able to wrap itself around! It really has affected my day-to-day so I knew I needed to figure out something to fix it. In high school I had trouble sleeping as well and really just used a lot of "Zzzquil" which is not good for you and I will never do again. If you're having trouble sleeping and you resort to consistent use of something like "Zzzquil" you will have more trouble sleeping later without it- if that makes sense. Your body will become reliant upon the assistance it was getting, which is worse than where you started in my opinion. If your sleeplessness isn't persistent, Zzzquil is a good option 😊 I really wanted to stress this little topic before we dive in because it can be so easy to fall into that routine and there are better ways to fix sleeplessness than that!
When I notice I'm starting to sleep soundly less and less through the night, I start preparing my body and mind for bed a little earlier. Allowing myself more time to relax in the evenings really helps my mind recognize that there's nothing more that needs to be done that day and it's okay to finally shut off! If you're like me and you tend to go over and over your list of things to do the next day or if you're harsh on yourself for the things you neglected to get done "today", write it out. Make a physical list of the things you want to focus on tomorrow or the things you nervous you might forget. For me this alleviates a lot of stress before bed and creates more room in my brain for relaxation!
Another helpful tip is to clean up/get your pajamas (for me, a big fluffy robe) on earlier than usual. You can't help but feel cozy and relaxed in your favorite pajamas, also- this means less to do closer to your bed time. I like to have my cozy pj's on and my makeup cleaned off at least an hour before I want to be in bed. Some sleep-encouraging snacks are always good after you've got your pajamas on, too! I love peppermint or "sleepy time" tea and a handful of pistachios. Peppermint is a natural muscle relaxer and sleepy time tea is literally made to help you sleep, lol. And pistachios?? They literally contain melatonin! They have one of the highest amounts of melatonin naturally occurring in food, which I think is so cool. Perfect for a bed time snack.
Lastly, you want to reduce screen time before bed, which I'm sure you've heard a million times at this point. (Currently writing this at 11:29 pm on a computer screen but when have I ever followed my own advice?😅) There are certain apps you can download that block other apps from being opened during certain times of the day if you find it difficult to set your phone down in the evenings- which isn't something to be ashamed of!! A lot of people work from their phones and keep in contact with friends and family exclusively through their phone. It makes sense that we grew attached to them, but for our health we need to detach for just a few hours before we head to bed. A few screen-less things to do before bed are make a batch of banana muffins (easy and delicious-write the recipe down beforehand😋), read part of a happy book, play a simple board game, do a stretch routine...I'm sure there are so many more but this is what I tend to stick to.
Don't let sleeplessness get a hold on you and ruin your fun or productivity the following day. I've been there (still working through it!) and I know it can feel like there's nothing you can do about not getting sleep, but with consistent activities like I talked about in this post your body will allow you to sleep again. If your sleeplessness goes on for a few weeks and you've wholeheartedly been trying these techniques, I would of course suggest you speak with your doctor as I am not a medical professional, obviously. But I do hope these help! Thank you for reading and happy sleeps!
Comments
Post a Comment