We all set off to bed hoping and sometimes praying for the "perfect nights sleep" right?
However, most people don't even realise, this process begins long before you lay your
weary head on the pillow!
Your night time habits, rituals, behaviours and practices play a crucial role in determining
just how effective your nights sleep will be.
This, believe it or not, starts approximately a good 3 hours prior to heading off to the
bedroom.
It is a simple fact: How you decide to spend the 3 hours prior to bedtime defines not only
how quickly you get to sleep, but also your quality of sleep.
A perfect pre-sleep routine varies from person to person, as individual needs and preferences
differ. However, there are some very generic elements, which are relevant to all.
For example, whoever you are, I guarantee, you will struggle to actually get over to sleep if you
head off to bed following 3 hours of AC/DC and a re-watch of The Exorcist!
Its just not going to happen.
But why is this? If we are dog tired, why cant we just get to sleep as soon as we pull over
the duvet?
To explain this effectively, we need to do a little science and biology: I will keep it simple
I promise.
You might have already heard of a hormone your body produces, nicknamed "The Sleep
Hormone"? This is called Melatonin.
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, a small pea-sized gland located just
above the middle of the brain.
It plays a crucial role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle, also known as the Circadian Rhythm.
Melatonin levels in the body typically rise in the evening as it gets darker, signalling to the
body that it's time to prepare for sleep.
Conversely, melatonin levels decrease in the morning as it gets lighter, signalling that it's
time to wake up.
Light exposure (though a noisy environment wont help either) is the primary factor that
influences melatonin production.
To put it simply: if you don't darken the environment, you will struggle to get to sleep.
The most effective way to kick in this process and tell your mind and body that its time
to sleep, is to simply wind down, dim the light, drop the sound and slow everything down.
This should start approximately 3 hours prior to you going to bed.
By doing this, your simply letting your brain know that your getting ready for sleep and
that it should start Melatonin production.
This will not happen while listening to loud music or watching your favourite horror movies
during that 3 hour window.
A pre-sleep routine helps signal to your body that it's time to wind down and prepare for rest.
Engaging in calming activities can lower stress levels and promote relaxation, making it easier
to fall asleep.
Try to avoid engaging in stressful or mentally stimulating activities close to bedtime. Instead,
focus on activities that promote relaxation and peace of mind.
The trick, is to find what works best for you, and there are no right or wrong answers in this
equation.
That 3 hours prior to bedtime should ideally be utilised to calm down, relax, chill out and
simply let the day go.
These activities lower your heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels built up through
your days activities. This helps to calm your mind and prepare for sleep.
What about a nightcap?
There are things you can consume which can help with and promote good quality sleep.
However, as always, lets concentrate on keeping things natural and homeopathic and keep
off the drugs and medications if possible. Natural is always best.
As I stated earlier, I recommend you trial and experiment with ideas, and find what works
best for you.
I did the very same thing during my own sleep tribulations, and stumbled across, what I
claim to be, the perfect nightcap.
This is a concoction I drink about 1 hour prior to bedtime. The 1 hour allows you time for
a loo stop before going to bed and saves you having to get up through night for the toilet.
INGREDIENTS:
Grated or ground ginger
Juice form one whole lemon
Organic Honey
Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Green Tea Bag
Adjust the amounts to taste as you go (some people like it stronger than others).
Simply place these in a mug and fill with boiling water, stir, leave to cool and drink.
As always, try and think organic when your out and about shopping for food.
I fully understand organic foods are way more expensive, but try and remember all the
toxins, poisons, pesticides, heavy metals and herbicides your not consuming and all
the health benefits that go with it.
So what's so good about this drink?
Firstly, its absolutely packed with powerful anti-oxidants, which help your body detoxify
and repair while your fast asleep.
The Green Tea contains something called Theanine which reduces stress and
neurotransmitter excitement in your brain - it calms you down.
The ingredients in this drink also aid digestion and calms your stomach lining prior
to bedtime, which is good for obvious reasons.
Some of these ingredients contain Potassium & Magnesium which are very good at
calming down nerve activity and helping your brain and muscles to relax.
The drink is also packed with anti-inflammatories, vitamins & minerals which feed
and support our sleep promoting hormones and neurotransmitter's.
The natural sugars also gently spike insulin levels, which in turn releases something
called Tryptophan, which then turns into Serotonin and then into Melatonin -
our sleep hormone.
This nightcap really does pack a punch. Give it a go yourself and make it part of
your pre-sleep routine: I'm sure you wont regret it.
What next?
So, you've had a 3 hour winddown, and a nightcap, now your off to bed.
When I suffered my sleeping problems, this was the moment I dreaded, with a
passion.
Going to bed utterly convinced I wasn't going to get to sleep, was literally a
living nightmare (pardon the pun, but I had to get it in).
This pre-sleep routine gives you the best possible start to getting off to sleep
quickly, but also for improving your sleep quality & duration.
The Bedroom!
Having your bedroom set up for a good nights sleep is vital. For more information
on this please check out my free Sleep Masterclass which you will find in my blog
and also on my Face Book Group Page.
Basically, you want a very dark, cool & quite room in which to sleep.
It obviously helps if your bedroom is nice to look at, smells nice and has a comfy bed.
This is the final part to your pre-sleep routine, and I'm going to give you two very
simple tools, if utilised correctly, will soon have you drifting off to sleep.
- Deep Breathing
- Positive Affirmations
Lets face it, the only thing stopping you drifting off to sleep: IS YOU!
Most people are prevented from getting to sleep, simply because of what they
are thinking about while laying in bed!! It really is as simple as that!!
If your laying in bed angry about what happened to you today, stressed about
money or other materialistic things or worried about what tomorrow will bring:
you're not getting to sleep any time soon.
Laying in bed worrying and stressed is the single biggest reason people struggle
with sleep.
No amount of worrying and/or negative, stressful thoughts will help improve your
situation or make anything even remotely better than what it is......PERIOD!
Depriving yourself of a good nights sleep due to worry is actually making the
situation exponentially worse.
The trick is, to replace negative, counterproductive thoughts with positive ones.
Positive Actions - Deep Breathing
Positive Thoughts - Positive Affirmations
Used alone, these are very effective tools in their own right, however, combine
them and they can yield significant success in your battle to both get to sleep
quickly and stay asleep longer.
Deep Breathing:
It is what it says on the tin, it really is as simple as that.
You simply lay on your back, relax your body and BREATH DEEPLY!
If I do count, I usually aim for around 30, full, deep breaths.
Believe me, by the time you reach 30, you will be completely relaxed and
fully chilled out.
Again, do what works best for you. Either aim for 30 or just do it until you
feel fully relaxed, calm and focussed on nothing but your breathing.
TECHNIQUE:
Its not the end of the world if you cant, however, the best technique is to breath
in through your nose, and out via the mouth.
There are several reasons for this:
Breathing through the nose helps regulate the airflow, ensuring a more controlled
and steady intake of air.
Nasal breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is
responsible for promoting relaxation and reducing stress levels. This can further
enhance the calming effects of deep breathing exercises.
Focusing on the sensation of air passing through the nostrils during inhalation can
help anchor your attention to the present moment, promoting mindfulness and
reducing distractions.
While breathing out through the mouth is not strictly necessary, it can help release
more air quickly during exhalation, allowing for a more complete expulsion of stale
air from the lungs. Additionally, breathing out through the mouth can create a feeling
of release or letting go, further enhancing the relaxation response.
So what are the benefits of deep breathing, especially those associated with
improving your ability to get to sleep?
Practicing deep breathing before bedtime really can promote relaxation and improve
sleep quality, but how?
Deep breathing activates the body's relaxation response, reducing stress hormones
like cortisol and promoting a sense of calmness.
Controlled breathing also alleviates symptoms of anxiety by slowing down the heart
rate and lowering blood pressure.
Deep breathing techniques can help alleviate discomfort by promoting relaxation and
reducing muscle tension.
Deep breathing exercises can help regulate emotions by promoting mindfulness and
awareness of bodily sensations.
Positive Affirmations:
Positive affirmations are statements or phrases that assert positive qualities, beliefs,
or intentions about oneself, one's life, or the world, and can offer several benefits when
incorporated into a bedtime routine.
Although they are often used as a tool for self-improvement and personal development
by consciously replacing negative or limiting thoughts with more positive and
empowering ones, they can be a very powerful and effective tool in helping to improve
your sleep.
Again, your simply removing negative, stressful thoughts from your thinking and
replacing them with positive, helpful and mindful alternatives.
And it works!!
Positive affirmations can be tailored to address specific areas of your life where you'd
like to see positive changes or reinforce certain beliefs.
They are also used to be thankful for all that is good in your life and how these things
make you happy and fulfilled.
Remember: positive affirmations are personal to you, and must reflect your life, beliefs,
wellbeing, aspirations and goals.
They work by gradually reshaping your mindset and guiding your thoughts towards
more empowering, positive and constructive patterns, helping you to eliminate negative
thoughts, replace with positive ones and get off to sleep quicker.
Also, because your getting off to sleep in a positive frame of mind, this enhances your
mindfulness and peacefulness during sleep.
Ultimately, this supports, underpins and improves both the quality and duration of
your sleep.
Think about your life, where you are, what bothers and stresses you out, what makes
you happy and what your thankful for.
Then select and confirm several relative positive affirmations, reflective of your life and
circumstances.
Here are some tips and things to think about:
Consider what aspects of your life you would like to improve or focus on. This could include
areas such as self-confidence, relationships, career, health, or personal development.
Think about your long-term goals and the values that are important to you.
Reflect on any negative or self-limiting beliefs that may be holding you back. These could
be thoughts like "I'm not good enough," "I'll never succeed," or "I don't deserve happiness."
Identifying these beliefs will help you choose affirmations that counteract them.
Phrase your affirmations in a positive and empowering way. Instead of focusing on what
you lack or want to change, frame your affirmations as if they are already true. For example,
instead of saying "I will be successful," say "I am successful."
Tailor your affirmations to your own experiences and aspirations. Use language that resonates
with you and feels authentic. Be specific about the qualities or outcomes you want to manifest
in your life.
Phrase your affirmations in the present tense to reinforce the idea that they are already true
or in the process of becoming true. This helps to create a sense of immediacy and belief in
the affirmation.
Affirmations that focus on relaxation, calmness, and tranquillity can help calm the mind and
body, reducing stress and tension that may interfere with sleep.
Affirmations can counteract anxious or worrying thoughts by replacing them with positive and
reassuring statements, helping to ease the mind and prepare for sleep.
They redirect your attention away from negative or stressful thoughts towards more constructive
and empowering ones, helping to create a more positive mental environment conducive to sleep.
Affirmations that reinforce feelings of self-worth, confidence, and self-acceptance can boost your
overall sense of well-being, making you feel more secure and at ease as you prepare for sleep.
Expressing gratitude through affirmations for the good things in your life can cultivate a sense of
appreciation and contentment, which can contribute to a more positive mood before bedtime.
Affirmations often involve visualizing positive outcomes or states of being, which can be calming
and soothing, helping to facilitate the transition to sleep.
Consider how you want to feel as a result of your affirmations. Do you want to feel confident,
joyful, motivated, or at peace? Incorporate these feelings into your affirmations to make them
more impactful.
Some examples:
"I believe in myself and my abilities."
"I am confident and capable of handling any challenge that comes my way."
"I am enough just as I am."
"I am strong, healthy, and full of energy."
"I am warm, comfortable and in my safe place."
"Every day, I am becoming healthier and happier."
"I am surrounded by love, positivity, and abundance."
"I am grateful for the blessings in my life, big and small."
"I am resilient and can overcome any obstacle."
"Challenges are opportunities for growth and learning."
"I trust in my ability to navigate through difficult times."
"I am surrounded by people who uplift and inspire me."
"I am deserving of healthy and fulfilling connections with others."
"I deserve happiness and success."
Pick what works best for you and tailor the affirmations you choose, to suit yourself.
Remember to choose personal, positive affirmations that align with your goals, ethics,
values, and aspirations.
On completing your deep breathing, simply repeat your affirmations aloud or silently to
yourself, several times before bed, focusing on each statement and allowing yourself to
fully absorb its meaning.
By integrating positive affirmations into your pre-sleep routine, especially when you combine
them with deep breathing exercises, you can create a more positive and supportive mental
environment that promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and prepares you for a restful night's sleep.
Summary:
Support, look after, feed and nourish your sleep hormone Melatonin.
3 hours prior to bedtime:
Dim the lights
Lower the noise
Wind it down
Try out the nightcap.
Turn your bedroom into your sleeping sanctuary.
Positive Actions: Deep Breathing.
Positive Thoughts: Positive Affirmations.
As with everything in life, especially when your trying new things, be patient, give it time, positivity
and above all else, be consistent with your efforts to improve your sleep.
Thanks for reading, I hope it helps and good luck.
