Getting some shut eye is proving more and more difficult now more than ever. There are many reasons why getting to sleep and then staying asleep is playing on your mind way before hitting the sack and much of it is down to lifestyle.
Once asleep not many of us will go through the stages of sleep fully. Many of us will feel we’ve not had much quality of sleep and still feel groggy in the morning.
What can I do?
A few small changes and cleaning up your sleep routine works wonders to gaining a better night’s sleep.
1) Have your last meal 3 hours before going to bed – Your digestive system has done some of the hard work before you lay your head down. This puts pressure off the digestive system while you’re asleep. This can be further aided by drinking a glass of water in between the meal and going to bed. Don’t overdo it, you don’t want to be making visits to the loo during the night.
2) Your bedtime – Try to aim to get to bed at the same time every night even if you don’t need to wake to your alarm in the morning. This may not always happen as life takes over from time to time. However, sticking to the same time means your circadian rhythm won’t get disrupted.
3) Take a lukewarm shower – Taking a warm (not hot) shower before going to bed will make a lot of difference. Not only do you wash away the dirt on your skin but psychologically it washes away the tensions of the busy day you have had…. almost as if the burdens have been washed down the drain.
4) Light some scented incense – Lighting incense in the room where you sleep creates an atmosphere which allows you to just sit quietly, even for 5 minutes if not for the length of the incense burning. Try and get a good few deep breaths in through the nose and out slowly through the mouth. Don’t worry about leaving the incense as it will burn completely within 30-40 minutes and much safer than a lighted candle, although it’s best to keep an eye on it from time to time. Just make sure you have something beneath it to catch the falling ashes. I find sandlewood to be a great scent for nighttime.
