And so it begins.
You wrestle with the sheets, pound at your pillow, count sheep, and breathe. Yet still, sleep slinks just out of your reach, taunting your half-woken dreams like an insolent schoolchild.
Sound familiar? In today's world, this is an all-to-common scenario. Whether you struggle to find a peaceful night's sleep due to a health condition, overstimulation, or some other reason, these 5 steps can help you.
After years of insomnia and interrupted sleep, I have tested a number of medications, mindfulness techniques, and routines in an effort to hit the hay. I tried prescribed medications, over the counter medications, Ayurvedic supplements, herbal remedies, exercise regimens, yoga routines, guided meditations, mindfulness meditations, and more. Only a few of these techniques were actually effective, which I'm about to share with you.
Keep in mind that, as each person's needs vary widely depending on their individual situation, what works for me may not work for you. So, please don't be afraid to tailor the 5 steps below to your personal needs! Try my suggestions, implement changes as you see fit, and settle on what feels right. I really, fully believe that most people can achieve a more restful night by implementing some version of the five steps below!
My 5 Tried & True Tips for a Restful Night's Sleep
Step One: Stay Hydrated
Okay, sounds weird... Right? Even I was surprised when my doctor mentioned this tip! But studies actually show that hydration is an integral part of getting a good night's sleep. Water is essential for digestion, tissue reparation, and a number of other processes that occur while you sleep. If you don't have the adequate resources (read: water) to perform these activities, you will find it almost impossible to awaken refreshed and energized. This step is especially critical for people who experience chronic inflammation, as water is necessary to clean out cell damage created by inflammation.
Pro Tip: Drink one glass of water each time you eat, to promote healthy digestion, and finish the day with a calming or digestive herbal tea.
Step Two: Put It Away!
We've all heard it before: You won't sleep well if you stare at a screen within two hours of bedtime. Research proves that blue light disrupts important brain waves necessary for generating a sleepy state. So, if we all know better, why are we still doing this?
I get it - I really do. The pull of Netflix, social media, Kindle books, and email is nearly impossible to resist. But YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN THIS! Prioritize yourself over staying abreast of every minuscule update, over that movie that can wait until this weekend, and over that ever-demanding job. If you do so, I guarantee that you will start to experience better sleep. Within two weeks of ditching my phone, tablet, and television before bed, I found myself earning a much more peaceful night's sleep.
Pro Tip: If you still struggle to avoid these temptations, take all blue light devices out of your bedroom. Charge your phone in the living room overnight and use a regular alarm clock. Remove TV clickers from the bedroom, or move your bedroom TV to a different room.
Step Three: Melatonin
Yep, I'm going there.
The thought of taking Melatonin scared me for longer than I'd like to admit. But then, I talked to my integrative clinician and consulted with a friend who regularly takes this supplement before bedtime. Both assured me that it was not addictive in any way, shape or form. My doctor showed me how to start on a minuscule dose, and informed me that I could stop immediately with no side effects.
After three years of taking Melatonin during stressful periods before bedtime, I can vouch for this supplement. I only take Melatonin when I experience significant stress, in an effort to help my body get the rest it deserves and recover. This has worked beautifully. I have taken Melatonin for a consecutive period of as little as three days to up to six months, and never experienced side effects or had a problem after sudden cessation of the supplement.
Essentially, this naturally produced chemical helps reset my body's clock. Once my body has "relearned" when and how to sleep, I no longer need the supplement. I can sleep peacefully without it! Melatonin has truly changed my life for the better and I now awaken feeling refreshed each morning.
Remember to talk to your doctor before starting Melatonin to ensure that there are no contraindications and that you start with the correct dose.
Step Four: Evening Pavlov Yoga Routine
Ahhh, the yoga. Nothing makes me feel more ready for a restful night than a yoga session with mood lighting!
After experimenting, I found that repeating the same exact yoga routine each night before bed greatly alleviated my insomnia. Remember Pavlov? (He was the guy who figured out that dogs can be conditioned to salivate when they hear a dinner bell, even if they can't smell or see food.) I like to think of my evening yoga ritual as a Pavlovian sleep conditioning exercise. I have performed my bedtime yoga ritual so many times before sleeping that my eyes literally start to droop when I light the candles and my feet touch the mat!
The next natural question is: So, what kind of yoga routine should I perform? I think that this depends entirely upon your personal needs. Do you need someone to guide you through your practice, or are you able to independently complete your yoga session? While I highly recommend avoiding screens before bedtime, I think that it's perfectly acceptable to watch a Youtube video while you get the hang of a new yoga routine.
Personally, I love the Yoga With Adriene "Bedtime Yoga" videos. She has shared three Bedtime Yoga videos on Youtube, which last for 7 minutes, 20 minutes, or 35 minutes. Find What Feels Good (here's a shout out to you, Adriene, and the YWA community) and stick to it! Once you memorize the routine, perhaps you can close your eyes or not use the video at all in order to avoid blue light.
In general, I would simply encourage you to create a relaxing atmosphere and to try different yoga routines that appeal to you. Light some candles, put cozy clothes on, set a pillow and a blanket by your mat, and prepare everything so that you can hop right into bed after the yoga session!
Step Five: Guided Meditation
This last one isn't revolutionary, but it makes all the difference in the world.
Meditation is proven to increase the occurrence of relaxation- and sleep-inducing brain waves. In order to take advantage of this benefit, I highly recommend practicing guided meditation. While many other types of meditation confer the same benefits, I find that a guided meditation practice is the easiest to maintain. Mindfulness meditation, for example, creates more opportunity for the mind to wander as the meditator has no voice to concentrate on.
Personally, I love Kris Carr's Self-Care for Busy People album, Headspace, and Daily Calm. Each of these resources can be accessed on a smartphone, smart radio, Apple TV, Amazon Alexa, computer, or other similar device.
PRO TIP: Turn your screen facedown as you listen, create a CD featuring your favorite meditations to play in an old-school CD player, or make an Amazon Alexa playlist to avoid blue light at night!
And of course, we'll finish with a picture of cute puppies. Because even one minute of looking at something cute is proven to increase relaxation and productivity! And because why not?!
So, those are my 5 tips for earning a restful night's sleep! Go ahead and try these steps, making sure to adapt each step to your personal needs. After you put these 5 steps into practice, what does or doesn't work for you? Do you have a different method for getting a restful night's sleep?
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Happy Mindful Manifesting,
Elicia Kristine xx
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