Sleep & Mindfulness
Rest is exceptionally important for everyone. Look, for example, at creatures in the wild – spending their days resting, playing, then springing into action when they need to.
We often spend our days busy and always on-the-go and wondering why we find it hard to relax and sleep properly?
As a meditation teacher, I find that many of my students have been drawn to meditation, because they’ve heard it may help them sleep better. The good news is that this is true, however, it requires changing habits, patience and consistency (my favorite word!).
Combining high quality rest with clean, nourishing food, movement and hydration – will help enable you to rest, relax and sleep deeply.
We don’t need to complicate this. I encourage you to focus on one thing at a time. Once we start making changes, we need to wait for the dust to settle to experience the shifts that these changes can bring.
Here are a few tips to become more mindful of your ‘recharge’ time:
Freshen up. Spring clean your living spaces, especially the area you sleep in. Keep your bed linen dust-free and clean. Take the time to make your bed each day and create an inviting, relaxing space. Make sure your bedroom is well-aired, clean and tidy. A fresh space is a relaxing space.
Minimise phone time. Spending time on your phone, whether working or scrolling, is far from ideal for your brain and your sleep patterns. The detrimental effects that the overuse of smart phones is having on millions of people is well documented. Set time limits and try to stick to them. Try to get off your phone at least two hours before bed and ideally don’t charge your phone in your bedroom.
Start saying no. Just like it’s healthy to declutter your room, declutter your life. If certain people, places, activities or foods leave you feeling drained, tired or like you have an ‘energy hangover’, spend less time with these people, at these places, doing these things. Watch how your life opens up. Use the time to find activities that nourish and rejuvenate you – things that speak to your soul.
Focus on ‘rest’, as well as sleep. Once we start saying no to things that drain you, you’ll have more time for things that nourish you. While sleep is important, so are restful, rejuvenating activities. Go out into nature – the ocean, forests and beaches have an alpha frequency that will soothe your soul. Get massages, lie in the sun, read. Join a group that creates something you’re interested in – crafts and hobbies such as painting or gardening guide you into the present moment. Increasing this restorative time during the day, will have a profound effect on your nights.
Early to bed and early to rise. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, there isn’t such a thing as a ‘night owl’. We function better going to bed earlier and rising with the sun, in sync with the natural world. The hours you get in before midnight provide extra restoration. Use your new-found time in the morning to cultivate a grounding ritual, such as gentle stretching, meditation or exercise.
Learn to meditate. There are many different types and styles of meditation. Any style of meditation you practice on a daily basis will help you to rest and relax. Why? Because consistent meditation cultivates present moment awareness – ‘mindfulness’. You become more aware and connected to how you feel in each moment and adjust accordingly. My favourite place to meditate is sitting up on my bed each morning before I start my day. I get comfortable and cozy with my meditation blanket and do my first 20-minute session. It’s the perfect buffer from sleep to being fully awake.