Experience Restful Sleep - Part 1

An evening routine is an important component to getting restful sleep. Your evening routine is your transition from your active day to a night of restful sleep. Without this transition, you may find that falling asleep is more difficult. Just like warming up before exercising gets the body prepared to move, an evening routine gets the body prepared to rest. Think about the last time you had a super busy day and were on the go from the moment you woke up to the moment you crashed on your bed. You may have been utterly exhausted and yet still unable to fall asleep. You were going, going, going so much and then just stopped. The body had no transition from going to stopping and therefore had a difficult time relaxing and falling asleep. Everyone needs a different routine to help them fall asleep more easily.

Below are some examples of what to avoid the last hour before bedtime:

• Doing workn • Watching TV (especially the news), playing video games, working on the compute
• Doing something active like exercise
• Dealing with stressful situations (finances, work, interpersonal relationships)
• Being in a loud environmentn • Being in an environment with very bright lights

Instead, find activities that are soothing or relaxing to your body and mind and allow you to let go of your daily conce
s:

• Take a bathn • Listen to soft, relaxing musicn • Read a bookn • Give yourself a foot massage, or have someone else do this for youn • journal your thoughts down to release them from your mindn • Gently stretch your bodyn • Lay on the floor with your legs up on the wall (great for those of you who are on your feet all day)
• Practice taking deep, diaphragmatic breaths, letting your body relax as you exhalen • Cuddle up with your loved one

Your routine does not have to be an hour long. Even as little as fifteen minutes can help you make the transition. Many studies show that is takes twenty-one days, or three weeks, to make a new habit. If relaxing at night, or in general, is something that is new, allow yourself time to get used to the change. I have had many clients tell me that it is not working or they just do not feel any difference after doing a relaxing routine at night. Then they confess that they have only done it for one day. One day is a great start, but it must be followed by another day and another and another to notice a difference. After a few weeks at the most, you should notice your quality of sleep improves greatly and the time it takes you to fall asleep is minimal.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we will discuss how your daily choices can help or hinder your ability to fall asleep.