Sleep. It’s important. It’s life-changing. It’s necessary. And, yet, it can be so gosh darn elusive.
Not only does sleep help us focus and be less grumpy in the day to day, it also impacts our learning and memory. It helps our heart, enhances our movement, helps us ward off illness, and more.
Unfortunately, it can also be one of the most difficult self care practices.
In today’s society where we are encouraged to be ‘always on,’ sleep can be hard to come by. It can be overshadowed by anxiety, overtaken by tasks that need to get done, and can end up with us staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, counting down the hours until we have to be awake.
So, what can we do to help us get TF to sleep? Here are some things that have worked for us:
Stick to a Schedule: If you have to go to sleep at a certain time during the week for work, try to stick to that sched on the weekends as well.
Make your Sleep Space as Relaxing as Possible: This means, as much as you are able, try to eliminate noise, get your sleep space to an optimal temperature, and make sure it’s dark.
Tell Devices to Eff Off: Taking phones, televisions, tablets, and other electronics out of the bedroom can help us fall asleep and stay asleep.
Know How You Handle Caffeine: Some of us can be drinking coffee up until 7pm and sleep through the night. Others can’t have coffee past noon without staying awake until 4am. Know how your body handles caffeine and choose a cutoff time that works best for you.
Don’t Go to Bed Hungry: If you can avoid it, don’t go to bed on an empty stomach. Ever tried to fall asleep with hunger pangs? It’s REALLY hard.
Get In Some Movement During the Day: Some sort of movement while the sun is out can help you fall asleep more easily, and can help sleep be more restful. Make sure not to exercise too close to bedtime, though, as that will make it more difficult to fall asleep!
Get into A Pre-Sleep Routine: Having some sort of wind down routine before bed trains your body to understand when it’s time to sleep.
Don’t Work in Bed: I know, doing work from the comfort of our beds sounds like the DREAM, right? Turns out, the more work we do in bed, the more our minds and bodies start to associate bed with being awake and mentally active. Try to reserve bed specifically for sleep and other...leisurely activities.
Know when it’s time to See a Doctor: If your troubles with sleep just are NOT going away, it’s time to see a professional.
Remember, your rest is one of the most important self care activities you can implement into your routine. Go sleep.