Have you seen the various GIFs about how UN-inviting our beds can be when it’s time for sleep, yet how incredibly inviting they are when out of our reach?
What is it that has us so tired and yearning for our pillow during the day, yet wide eyed into the night?
Conclusive evidence points to the importance of daily routines- proclaiming the secret to a restful night is soaking in natural light first thing in the morning, keeping exercise and heavier meals to the earlier part of the day, and avoiding caffeine after lunch. But most of us would agree that it's equally important that we seek to avoid bringing a worried mind to bed- as it is pretty clear stress plays a big part in preventing a sleepy state.
Here are our top tips to clear away stress and have you swaying in time with your circadian rhythms before you know it.
1. Meditation.
If there is any time to try meditating it is right before bed. Don’t get me wrong- the cognitive miracles of meditation are achieved when we are awake and focused on the act of holding our attention, but do not underestimate the power of the calm our bodies experience when attempting to get there.
2. Body Scans.
A specific meditation called the Body Scan lends itself well to inducing a sleepy state. Start by laying down, getting the body into a comfortable position, taking deep breaths and then focusing your attention on each part of your body, one by one, from your toes up to your head. Oftentimes this will have you dozing before you reach your knees.
3. Power Naps.
Give into those sleepy afternoon vibes and find a place to power nap at lunch. As long as you keep the nap to around 15 minutes you could actually be doing yourself a lot of good.
4. Embrace quiet wakefulness.
The quiet time you have in bed, even if you are not reaching the restorative delta stage, has its benefits. When we stress that we're not able to fall asleep it can raise our cortisol levels and push us even further from sleep. So instead, as you lay there, sink into the quiet of your mattress and seek to find peace in having this time to be still. Reap the benefits of quiet wakefulness until sleep slowly comes over you.
To help on your bedtime journey we have recorded a simple 10-minute guided Body Scan that will be there to get you out of your head and purring on your pillow in no time.
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