Earlier, days used to be hectic, and nights were always calm and reserved to unwind. But things have changed and nights are increasingly becoming hectic as well. Whether it is work carried over from office, or pending chores that need to be finished, there always seems to be not enough time.
We also live in an age where gadgets make us accessible any time of the day, which includes in the middle of the night as well.
We’re in a race with ourselves, juggling tasks everyday so that we are ready to juggle more tasks the next day, that we forget the importance of sleep.
I won’t go into how sleep is beneficial for us, by making us healthier, more alert, physically and mentally strong, calm and even help us lose weight. In stead I will focus on a few methods that will help you sleep better each night.
- Your bed is for sleeping
Use your bed only to sleep, or to read a book every night. You MIGHT want to have a cup of tea in bed, but that’s the maximum you can push it to. Stop using your bed for your gadgets, shift it all to your desk or a designated area and let it remain there. - Screen Alert
Don’t use your laptop, watch television, or read on your kindle just before you sleep. These are light reflecting screens that alert our brains and keep them awake even if you shut your eyes. - Keep a note pad
Sometimes we don’t sleep well because we are constantly thinking of something that needs to be addressed. Keeping a notepad next to you will help solve this problem. Write down your thoughts, your anxieties, your to do list. They are then out of your system and noted down for your reference later. - Your dinner
Always keep 2-3 hours between dinnertime and sleep time. Your body needs to rest just as much as your mind needs to. Avoid spicy, heavy and artificially sweetened food before you sleep. - Conscious living
Take a few minutes every night before you sleep to think about your day. What happened that day that made you happy and what you would do differently the next day. If you want you can use this time to scribble down thoughts in your notepad and make your to do lists for the next day. This will help in getting your thoughts in order and relaxing your mind. - Prepare yourself to sleep
The way we wash our hands before eating, or bathe in the mornings, prepare yourself to sleep as well. Be it taking a hot shower every night, playing soft music to relax yourself, keeping a bottle of water by your bedside or reflecting on the day. Let these activities prepare your mind to relax for the day. - Setting the alarm
We usually set the time on our alarm for an hour before we actually need to get up. And then we snooze the alarm a number of times every morning. This is not a healthy practice. Know the right time when you need to wake up and set the alarm for that time. Keep your alarm at the far end of the room, which makes you wake up and get out of your bed to turn it off.
Try these methods out each night and with some trial and error you will be able to figure out what suits you the most. Thank the universe every night when you close your eyes for the comfortable bed you’re laying on, your amazing life and cookies.