A calm transition to Sleep - support for insomnia and fatigue
HOW you get to sleep could be a key to help with fatigue or insomnia. Here’s how to create a calmer transition to sleep.
HOW you get to sleep is often more important that actual sleep.
Did you know that melatonin – the hormone responsible for sending you to sleep – is only released in fading light and darkness? Sorry, this does not include being on your phone in the dark! Plus, doing some simple deep breaths and longer outbreaths can also help your transition to sleep.
So let’s look at a calmer transition to sleep:
Calm the lights
Start producing melatonin before you reach your bedroom. Turn off bring lights and turn on dim ones or candles. Stop scrolling on your phone - the light is disturbing your mind and body and actually suppressing the release of melatonin. There’s no point having your mind tell your one thing but your actions tell you another. Dim lights tell your body that it’s time to prepare to sleep.
Calm the sounds
Every sense you have needs to calm down to make your body and mind relaxed enough for sleep. Transitioning to sleep is about shutting down reactions from the senses, including sound. Play soundtracks that mimic sleep (usually 432Hz). Insight Timer has some great free tracks.
Calm the mind
Thoughts tell the body how to behave. Your mind has been super busy today, processing thoughts and actions. It hasn’t stopped. To progress the mind to the dream state means letting go of thoughts. This doesn’t mean stopping your thoughts - not really possible - but creating some distance from them. Meditation and mindfulness tracks can greatly help. I have some in my blogs and on Insight Timer. Here’s one for you here too:
Calm your heart
Before you sleep, feel grateful for your bed and the end your day. Feel the softness of the sheets or duvet. Notice how your neck can rest now - all the little muscles unwinding and unbinding. Take a deep breath in and release on the outbreath. Place your hand on your heart and breathe. Feel that as a sensation. Even if there’s a lot going on for you and life is tough right now, the day is done. There’s nothing more to do. You need your sleep because you need to restore. Tell your brain to tell your body that, for now, the day is done.
And do yoga!
A regular yoga practice can support any ailment, any condition, any state of mind. Some people find it hard to sleep if they do strenuous yoga at night, some don’t. Find what’s right for you. Also remember that yoga is not just about moving the body - there are eight limbs of yoga and only one of them involves moving. The other limbs are observances about how you are in life; what you practice; being healthy; breathing techniques; and the last three are dedicated to meditation. Yoga is mediation - union with the Self that is unchanging, effortless and calm.
Check out the different kinds of yoga at BeCalmed Studio.
Other tips for a calmer sleep
Sleep is not a project: Treat sleep like you’re falling in love with it. Let go of the panic that you haven’t done enough. You have. The day is done. Love where you are, even the uncomfortable bits.
Change one thing at a time. It look you a lifetime to get here. Be kind. Do one thing this week.
Watch the sun go down. Allow your natural circadian rhythm to do their thing.
If you don’t eat for at least two hours before you sleep, you may sleep deeper and longer. And watch the sugar - it’s designed to give you energy, not send you to sleep.
Soften other senses: Hand or foot massage. Essential oil. Soft blanket.
If you wake up often through the night, tell yourself “I am falling asleep. I am falling asleep. I am falling asleep”. Try and conjure up the physical sensations of falling asleep: relaxed body, calm breath, letting go of thoughts. Feeling more ease, softness and lightness.