#1. Clear your head before you go to bed
Many of your day’s thoughts that you leave unattended can wind up percolating, much like a pot of coffee. It robs you of your energy, so you wind up being even more tired than before. No matter what you do throughout the day, it’s good to put a few moments into meditation prior to sleep. Let your mind have the chance to air things out. If meditation isn’t your thing, try putting pen or pencil to paper so you can journal your feelings out. Regardless of what you decide on, let your brain have a chance to dump things out. Make sure when you do to bed that your mattress is comfortable and supportive, read these Helix mattress reviews and find the perfect mattress for you.
#2. Do a body scan meditation
A body scan meditation is something that lures you easily into high-quality sleep that’s deep in nature. Consider using this particular guided body scan meditation so you can wind down when you go to bed. Don’t be surprised if you discover yourself drifting to sleep even before you finish the whole practice.
#3. Listen to what your body says
If you try to get to sleep, you might feel something with such intensity that you need to get back up. It’s understandable if you want to try and stay in bed, since you know getting up will wake the body up, even in the middle of any night. However, there are times it’s necessary. Forcing yourself to remain in bed can take a lot of energy, and that also wakes you up, all while not addressing the issue. Figure out what your body needs at the time, provide it with that, and then let it dissipate if you can.
#4. You have a parasympathetic nervous system, so activate it
If you wake up halfway through the night or just can’t fall asleep, then you might want to try a kind of breathing that activates your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which is the portion of the nervous system responsible for calming everything down. With this kind of breathing, your exhales are longer than the inhales. Inhale to the count of your choosing, but double it for the exhales. You could do 4/5 or 5/10. Pick a breathing count you find comfortable and effective.