The following suggestions are designed to prepare you mentally and
physically for sleep.
During the DAY
· Try to get some
exercise, even if it’s just taking a walk.
A little exercise makes the need for sleep greater because our bodies need
the rest to recover.
· Reduce
caffeine
intake.
Caffeine is a stimulant; drinking tea and coffee and some fizzy drinks (eg
cola) may therefore make it difficult to sleep.
Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others.
I know that if I drink a lot of coffee during the day I’ll find it
difficult to sleep. I definitely
have problems if I drink tea or coffee after 6pm.
During the
EVENING
· Do
not drink any tea or coffee after
6pm.
· Allow at least an hour to sit quietly and unwind before
bed.
· Do not drink lots of fluids, particularly alcohol.
-
Turn upside down or bend forward or both for at least 5 minutes
*
Drinking lots of fluids close to bed time increases the likelihood that
your sleep will be disturbed by the need to visit the toilet.
Although alcohol may make you feel more able to sleep, too much of it
disturbs sleep. It’s a diuretic,
which means that you pass out more than you take in; increasing the probability
of a the need for the toilet during the night.
Also, your body needs to eliminate the alcohol while you sleep, for each
half a pint of 4% alcohol you require approximately half an hour extra sleep.
*Here's another tip I picked up from a yoga journal: bend
forward from the hips or turn yourself upside down for at least five minutes
just before bed. I know it sounds strange but it really works! I
find the "child pose" works best:
Child's pose
If you have difficulty with this pose, try sitting on a
comfortable chair, placing folded blankets or cushions on your knees for
support, and flopping forwards over them. Make sure you can comfortable relax in
the position you choose. When bending forwards, wriggle your hips slightly to
start the bend from the right place.
Or you could lie on the floor and put your feet / legs up
on a chair.
Let me know if you find any other interesting ways to turn
yourself upside down before bed!
At BEDTIME
· Catch the
waves
Whist you’re sitting unwinding during the evening you should notice that
the tiredness comes over you in waves.
How many times do you start to feel tired, but by the time you get into
bed you’re wide awake? Once in bed,
using no energy and feeling tense about the need to get to sleep, it’s along
time coming.
One of the tricks to getting a good night’s sleep is to catch a wave.
Make sure all you need to do when the tiredness grabs you is crawl into
bed. If you miss one wave, wait for
the next. Another alternative is to
read a (not too interesting) book in bed.
When the wave comes all you need to do is put your book down.
I find that doing the child's pose (see above)
brings on the waves.
In
BED
· Don’t try to go to sleep
This may sound strange,
but I find that if I really REALLY want to go to sleep, the pressure makes me
feel tense and pushes sleep further away. Instead, try saying to yourself
as you go to bed:
“It doesn’t matter if I
sleep or not, what I need is to rest my mind and body so they can carry out the
important repairs and maintenance. What’s more, I’m going to enjoy the
opportunity to relax without feeling guilty because there really is nothing else
I should be doing.”
· Relax your body and
still your thoughts.
Lay on your back and
relax. Place one hand gently on the stomach over the navel. As you
breathe, feel this hand move up and down; your chest should remain still.
As you inhale, push your stomach out slightly, to exhale just relax and let it
fall on it’s own.
Imagine yourself sinking
into the bed. Starting with your toes, tense and relax every part of your
body. Finish with the face, head and scalp: lift the eyebrows, then
relax. Open the mouth wide, pull silly faces, then relax.
Keep scanning your body,
tensing and relaxing any part that tightens up again.
Use your IMAGINATION.
Imagine that you’re in a nice, peaceful, relaxing place. Perhaps in the
sun or on the beach. Paint the picture, imagine that you’re there, feel
the sun on your face or the waves lapping over your toes.
Often, sleep is
disturbed because of the thoughts flying round your head. It’s not always
easy to turn them off. The above exercise directs your thoughts to a more
relaxing place instead.
· If you start to toss and
turn, try hanging your head over the edge of the bed for a bit.
. If this doesn't work, get up.
You must have missed that wave, try again for the
next one.
IF YOU
WAKE UP DURING THE NIGHT
Roll over to the side of
the bed and hang your head over the edge for a bit. I don't really know
why this works but it does!
GOOD LUCK AND SWEET DREAMS
|