There’s nothing quite like getting a restful night of sleep. When you’re not getting enough rest, it can be an incredibly grueling experience for your mind and your body. Equip yourself with the ability to fully show up in your life by making sure you’re getting a good night’s rest. In order to make it happen, implement the following tips.
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Turn Down the Temperature
When you’re keeping a close eye on your wallet, the idea of changing the thermostat each night might sound like a high electric bill each month. However, you’re only turning it down two or three degrees each night. Many thermostats allow you to set it automatically. When your bedroom feels cooler, it’s easier to cuddle under the covers until you fall asleep.
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Exfoliate
There are two main types of exfoliation: chemical and physical. In this case, you’ll want to focus on physical exfoliation. Whether you partake in the dry brushing method or do a salt scrub on dry skin before taking a shower, this process is really good for your lymphatic system. It’s a way to help you get the detoxification process started. The process continues and is more effective while you’re asleep.
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Drink a Warm Beverage
For some people, a cup of warm milk is really relaxing. For others, a cup of ginger tea or chamomile tea helps to soothe the system. Consider making yourself a warm beverage to help you get in the mood for rest. Try to make sure it’s not filled with sugar though.
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Invest in Comfortable Bedding
You can unwind with all the best methods in the world, but it doesn’t matter when your bed is uncomfortable. You’ll wake up the next morning with aches and pains. In order to avoid this travesty, be sure to invest in great bedding. This also includes your actual bed. A memory foam gel mattress is an excellent investment to ensure maximum comfort and coolness throughout the night.
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Eliminate the Use of Electronics
Electronics can be one of the greatest hindrances to a good night’s rest. Electronics such as smartphones and tablets emit blue light. Blue light is known to stimulate the brain to stay awake. If you’re addicted to your phone and scroll before bedtime, put your phone in a different room or across the room. Then, read a good book or a magazine until you fall asleep. If you don’t like to keep your phone in another room because it’s your alarm clock, now is the time to purchase an alarm clock. You can easily find one for less than $10. It’s worth the investment when it helps you improve your quality of sleep.
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Meditate
For many people, one of the major reasons why meditation is helpful is because it allows them to rid themselves of the stressors from the day. You can use an app to do a guided meditation. You can also use this time to take a few deep breaths, listen to your pulse, and unwind. If you need to write in a journal, that’s a helpful process as well. For some people, a mindfulness app or prayer meditations can really help them get into a zone of relaxation and comfort. Prayer is another way to process your thoughts, concerns, and worries. Use your meditation time to find things to be grateful for. As you remember the things you’re grateful and what you’re looking forward to, you’ll be able to lift your spirits a bit.
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Avoid heavy meals two hours before bedtime
Oftentimes, people talk about avoiding the habit of eating late because of unwanted pounds. However, there’s more to the story. When you get into the habit of eating late, you’ll have a lot of heavy food that sits on your stomach. When your stomach has to do extra work to digest a ton of food, it’s harder for you to experience optimal rest. Instead, enjoy your last meal a few hours before bedtime. Ideally, after you eat, take a long walk around the neighborhood. If you need a light snack or a cup of tea, that’ll satiate you without impacting your ability to experience deep sleep.
If you’re not used to developing a strong bedtime routine, this might feel like a weird shift at first. However, the more consistent you remain, the sooner you’ll see results. Before long, your body will start entering your bedtime routine on autopilot.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
