Bedtime Relaxation Tips
I have a hard time sleeping. Some nights it takes me hours to get to sleep; other nights I fall asleep almost instantly only to wake up in the early morning. If I'm lucky (which I am very often not), I can have two or three hours of unbroken sleep in a night. Otherwise, I wake up constantly and am often awake for extended periods of time.
The sleeping pill market is thriving these days, thanks to the increased media focus on Ambien, the slew of over-the-counter diphenhydramine-based tablets (Simply Sleep by the makers of TylenolPM and Unisom) on drugstore shelves and herbal remedies coming out left and right. The sedation part is easy to come by, but not always terribly effective. Insomnia is very often a symptom of external stressors or anxiety; taking a few minutes to relax in bed can make a huge impact in combating insomnia.
Chris Brogan at Lifehack.org made a great post about before-bed relaxation tips:
Take six deep breaths- After you get comfy, take six really deep, slow, breaths. If you can, breathe in from the nose, and out through the mouth. Nice, slow, easy.
Feel your aches- Without moving, take a quick inventory of the aches and pains you feel, especially around the face, the neck, your jaw, and your lower back.
Think of warmth- Imagine sending liquid warmth through those parts, such that the warmth pours over the aches, and washes them down out of your body, off the bed, and onto the floor.
Release your worrisome thoughts- Say to every bothersome thought that comes into your head, “I can’t fix you right now. I’ll get back to you later.” Everything that comes up isn’t meant to be solved right now. Your brain’s just trying to get rid of them. Even reminders. “I’ll remember you when I wake up.” Let them all go.
Assure yourself you’ll wake up on time- This is important for nappers, but also for people who have trouble waking up. Just give yourself a quick reminder of when you want to wake up. Think of the numbers on the clock.
Think of a hammock- You’re up off the ground, wrapped in a cocoon of comfort, swaying gently in the open air. The sun is warm on your face, and there’s a breeze blowing you back and forth. This visualization helps you “see” what sleep’s reward will be, getting you more in the mood to sleep.
Next time you're having trouble sleeping, try to put some of these tips into practice. I've found that the breathing ones alone (listening to or counting your breaths) can be particularly useful as long as you stick with it!
The sleeping pill market is thriving these days, thanks to the increased media focus on Ambien, the slew of over-the-counter diphenhydramine-based tablets (Simply Sleep by the makers of TylenolPM and Unisom) on drugstore shelves and herbal remedies coming out left and right. The sedation part is easy to come by, but not always terribly effective. Insomnia is very often a symptom of external stressors or anxiety; taking a few minutes to relax in bed can make a huge impact in combating insomnia.
Chris Brogan at Lifehack.org made a great post about before-bed relaxation tips:
Take six deep breaths- After you get comfy, take six really deep, slow, breaths. If you can, breathe in from the nose, and out through the mouth. Nice, slow, easy.
Feel your aches- Without moving, take a quick inventory of the aches and pains you feel, especially around the face, the neck, your jaw, and your lower back.
Think of warmth- Imagine sending liquid warmth through those parts, such that the warmth pours over the aches, and washes them down out of your body, off the bed, and onto the floor.
Release your worrisome thoughts- Say to every bothersome thought that comes into your head, “I can’t fix you right now. I’ll get back to you later.” Everything that comes up isn’t meant to be solved right now. Your brain’s just trying to get rid of them. Even reminders. “I’ll remember you when I wake up.” Let them all go.
Assure yourself you’ll wake up on time- This is important for nappers, but also for people who have trouble waking up. Just give yourself a quick reminder of when you want to wake up. Think of the numbers on the clock.
Think of a hammock- You’re up off the ground, wrapped in a cocoon of comfort, swaying gently in the open air. The sun is warm on your face, and there’s a breeze blowing you back and forth. This visualization helps you “see” what sleep’s reward will be, getting you more in the mood to sleep.
Next time you're having trouble sleeping, try to put some of these tips into practice. I've found that the breathing ones alone (listening to or counting your breaths) can be particularly useful as long as you stick with it!
Tags: insomnia
Add a Comment
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Comment by Stephanie on July 11, 2008 at 10:10am - I also have trouble falling asleep. I find that one of the reasons this happens is because I'm thinking about all the things I need to do the next day. I've learned that writing a to do list of everything that is in my head that is preventing me from falling asleep really helps. It relieves my stress and assures me that I won't forget anything, because it's all down on paper. I keep a pen and a pad of paper next to my bed just in case I need to do this. Try it out sometime, I really think it will help!
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Comment by clarice connors on July 9, 2008 at 12:13pm - These are great tips that not everyone naturally thinks of on their own. I have also found that I often get into bed with a lot of tension built up in my body. I have gradually learned to give myself a kind of check-over before actually relaxing. I lay in bed and make sure my shoulders aren't hiked up to my ears or that my legs aren't straightened and allow them to make their natural bend. Often I don't even realize that certain muscles are tense and I have to make a conscious effort to put them to ease before even thinking about falling asleep.
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