Read a book
Putting your devices away before bed doesn’t mean you have to be stuck without anything to do until you actually fall asleep. Instead of reaching for your cellphone or your TV remote, pick up a book! Reading before bed can be a great stress reliever. It also allows your body to relax and get ready for a calmer state of mind. You will find that as you begin to relax, you will get sleepier.
Practice relaxation exercises
Relaxation exercises are very helpful in reducing anxiety and racing thoughts. Exercise helps in progressive muscle relaxation. Go through each muscle and relax it. Start with your feet. Relax your toes and move up to calves, knees, thighs, stomach, chest, shoulders, hands, and then move to your mouth, nose, eyes, ears, and head. Do this while deep breathing and your mind will relax and you will fall asleep soon.
Participate in physical activities
Do the physical exercise as it drains out energy and at night you will be tired and have a good, deep sleep. You can even go for long walks or a run. This improves your stamina and helps you sleep at night.
Write down your worries in the day
For 10 to 15 minutes in a day, write down what's on your mind at an earlier time and figure out what you are going to do about it. To kick start your thoughts, start with what are things I am going to worry about before going to bed. So, at night when a worrying thought comes, you can strike it off as you have a solution for everything now. Also, do this task in the morning and not at night so that you have enough separation from your thoughts at night.
Use your bed for sleep and intimacy
Create a clear association between sleep and bed. If you are having trouble sleeping, avoid reading on the bed. Read on your couch or dining table, but keep your bed only for sleeping. Similarly, don't watch TV in bed, use a laptop, or phone while you are in bed. Keep bed only for sleep. This way whenever you sleep in a bed, your mind will only think of sleeping.
Put your devices away
Looking for a way to start winding down for the day? Start by putting all your electronic devices away. It will help set a healthy habit by mentally getting you ready to turn off for the night. Putting your devices away will also help you sleep better at night. The blue light that comes from your devices can actually make it harder to fall asleep because it keeps your body from making melatonin, which controls your sleep cycle.
Busy your brain with mental exercises
Distract yourself from the worries when you are trying to sleep. A mental exercise helps your brain focus away from your worries. It can be as simple as thinking of cities that start with ‘A.’ You can also focus on a particular object such as its color, shape, size, etc. Or you can recite lyrics from a favorite song.
Create a pre-sleep schedule
Winding down before bed is one of the best ways to get your sleep back on track. It is hard to shut down your brain or quiet worrying thoughts when you are on the go before bedtime. Our body craves routine and likes to know what is coming next. By creating a pre-sleep schedule, you are establishing a clear association between certain activities and sleep.
For example, if you read a body before heading to bed, your body knows that reading at night signals sleep time. So, create a sleep schedule as per your body and lifestyle and maintain it.
