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Do you feel literally torn between the people you care about and the work that needs to be done urgently? During such stressful periods, it is especially important to get enough sleep. Doctor’s advice Lynn Ponton.
If you sacrifice your sleep in order to cope with the load, you thereby create a vicious cycle in which you will feel tired all the time, and in the end you can even get sick. What can you do to fall asleep easily at night?
1.
Exercise
Physical exercise helps relieve muscle tension. Be careful not to work out too late: since muscle tension triggers the release of adrenaline, your overexcitation can prevent you from falling asleep. Finish your sports activities no later than two hours before bedtime.
2.Relax and relax
A variety of relaxation techniques have a calming effect on us and allow you to not think about business and stress at least for a while. For this, a massage or a warm foamy aromatic bath is good. Another excellent natural relaxant is having sex – it is very effective in relaxing before going to bed.
Finally, a wonderful effect is often given by yoga or meditation. Here is a slightly modified yoga exercise for relaxation that you can do right in bed. Thus, when you start nodding off, you will already be exactly where you should be.
- In bed, lie on your back, stretch your legs comfortably, feet apart. Move your hands away from the body, turn your palms up, fingers should be slightly bent. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Feel your body sinking into bed. After a long day, this should be extraordinarily pleasant.
- Take a deep breath through your nose. Let your chest expand and your stomach pull in. As you exhale, slowly and evenly push the air out of your abdomen and chest through your nose. To do this, use the abdominal muscles, while not making extra effort. Do this 6-8 times. When the breathing rhythm becomes stable and manageable, you can proceed to the next step.
- Focus your attention on the top of your head and release tension in that area. Slowly move your forehead, eyes, mouth. Relax the muscles in the jaw area, your mouth may spontaneously open slightly. Watch your breathing: it should be even and deep. Do not hurry.
- Take such deep breaths in and out, focusing successively on each part of the body. Do not hurry. Try not to rush your breath.
- Your shoulders and back of your head are subject to significant stress during the day, especially if you work at a computer. Pay special attention to these areas, check if there is a clip there. Take a deep breath. As you exhale, slowly release the tension built up there over the day.
- Mentally work your way down your body, focusing on your arms, abdomen, thighs, ankles, shins, and finally your feet. If you feel like wiggling your toes and toes to relieve tension. Make sure that your breathing remains even and steady. If you feel special tension in some areas, focus on them separately and release the tension with the exhalation.
Read more:
- How to relax properly
- First of all – sleep!
- Can you sleep over the weekend?
3. Set your internal clock
It is useful to regulate the rhythm of your falling asleep and waking up. If you do this around the same hours, your body will get used to you going to bed at a certain time, and it will be easier for you to fall asleep.
4. Get distracted
If you lie down, but you can’t sleep at all, you toss and turn from side to side, but sleep doesn’t come, get up, go to another room and read a book or listen to some music. When you feel that you are overcome by drowsiness, go back to bed.
5. Consider what and when you eat
Of course, you don’t want to go to bed hungry, but it’s important to keep track of what you eat at close to bedtime. So, spicy, fatty, heavy foods can be poorly digested, and you have to get up in the middle of the night with discomfort in your stomach. Try to avoid caffeine in the last 6 hours before bed. The best choice for a snack before bed is food rich in carbohydrates (dryers, crackers), it is easier to digest. And don’t forget the old trusted remedy, a glass of warm milk, it can really help you fall asleep.
Read more:
- Why do you want to sleep all the time?
Breath before sleep
The technique of relaxation and stress relief before going to bed can be learned from yogis. Indeed, in addition to the fact that yoga is an excellent set of physical exercises to keep fit, it can serve as a complete means of preparing for sleep. Breath control, which you will learn in the two exercises below, promotes deep relaxation and can free your head from the tense thoughts that often prevent deep and healthy sleep.
A cup of warm tea followed by a meditation posture is a great way to clear your mind and get ready for bed. Let’s get started:
- Sit in a comfortable position with your legs crossed in Turkish style. If muscle or joint pain bothers you, you can sit on a hard chair with your feet flat on the floor. You can also sit on the edge of the bed. Keep your back straight, tighten your chest. Relax your shoulders, while trying not to slouch.
- If you are sitting on a chair or bed, place your palms on your thighs. If you are sitting on the floor, you can place your hands on your hips, palms up, with your thumbs and forefingers together. You can also keep your hands in front of you with your hands on top of each other on your knees.
- Your chin should be parallel to the floor. Relax your facial muscles, let your mouth open slightly. Close your eyes.
- Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, mentally counting to five. Hold your breath as you count to five. Exhale slowly through your nose to the count of five. As you inhale, you should feel your abdominal muscles contract and your chest expand. As you exhale, use your abdominal muscles to push all the air out.
- Repeat this exercise for 6 to 8 inhale-exhale cycles.
Lynn Ponton – child and adolescent psychiatrist, her website .
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