Fall asleep faster and break bad sleeping habits
What’s that one thing we all need to survive but never seem to get enough of? Sleep.
We’re not all the same, but generally speaking, the average adult needs 6-8 hours of sleep to feel mentally and physically strong. This is because when we fall asleep, we give our body time to rest and rejuvenate.
Some of the smartest of our time have championed the benefits of healthy sleeping habits, but over the past 75 years, our culture has de-emphasized the importance of rest. Now, the idea of sleeping less is simultaneously trending and incredibly detrimental to your health.
Take a moment to observe how you feel with a full night’s sleep. Are you more efficient during your day? When you fall asleep early, do you feel less anxiety the next morning? Most would say, “yes.” This is why I’m sharing some of my best tips to help you fall asleep and learn how to break bad sleeping habits. Some of these sleep remedies may sound obvious, but sometimes, we need a little reminder when it comes to prioritizing our health.
9 Ayurveda Tips to Help You Sleep Faster and Deeper
1. Read for at least 10 minutes before sleep.
When you’re tossing and turning, and your frustration forces common sense out the window, this sleep remedy can soothe your anxiety and help break bad sleeping habits. According to the Telegraph, even six minutes of reading can be enough to reduce your stress levels by more than two-thirds.
I've always been a self-help junkie. My current reads are Dave Hollis' Get Out of Your Own Way and Tal Ben-Shahar's Being Happy.
2. Dim the lighting.
Adjusting the lights at nighttime can help you fall asleep with ease and break bad sleeping habits. If you can splurge for Hue lighting or a dimmer switch in your bedroom, you’ll reap the benefits. As you near closer to bedtime, start dimming the lights. If you're wondering how to make yourself tired, this simple action will send messages to your brain that it’s time for sleep.
3. Create bullet journals or lists.
When you’re tossing and turning (and not sleeping), what’s on your mind? When I’m unable to fall asleep, I’m usually overwhelmed with the number of responsibilities I have to complete. I suggest keeping a pen and pad by your bed and writing down what’s on your mind. This will give you peace of mind as you fall asleep knowing your “to-dos” are waiting on a list for you to complete in the morning and help break bad sleeping habits.
4. Meditate for 5 minutes.
As we've seen, difficulty sleeping often stems from a restless mind. Meditation helps you calm the mind. Simple techniques can help you fall asleep faster, sleep better, and break bad sleeping habits.
5. Bed Yoga.
Both body and mind need to prepare for bedtime. This bedtime sequence will help you relax your muscles to sleep soundly and break bad sleeping habits. This video from Greatist will walk you through a peaceful, 10-minute sequence.
6. Breathing exercises.
Can breathing really help you fall asleep? In short, yes. Certain sequences help silence the mind. Start by inhaling for 5 counts, holding for 5 counts, exhaling for 5 counts, and holding again for 5 counts. Repeat this 10 times or as many as you need to relax. This Yoga Journal article shares other types of breathing exercises that can help calm the body and mind. Consider nadi-shodhana, which is a cooling breathing technique that calms the energy and helps break bad sleeping habits.
7. Light mind games or puzzles.
Sometimes, a simple distraction is all you need to relax. Try a crossword puzzle or sudoku game next time counting sheep fails and learn how to break bad sleeping habits.
8. Exercise for at least 15 minutes each day.
It sounds counter intuitive but working out in the evening might be what you need for a peaceful slumber. Physical activity may be the jolt you need to work out your stresses and calm the mind. (Note: don’t exercise right before bed; the endorphins will generally give you more energy for a short time after the workout, not less.)
9. Journal it out.
Writing is cathartic. You can include journaling in your nighttime routine if you wonder how to make yourself tired. I know that it can be time-consuming, but try keeping it simple. What if you wrote about the highlight of your day, 3 things you're grateful for, and something you did that made someone else’s day better? Before you know it, you’ll fall asleep with a collection of happy thoughts and stories.
One of the most helpful of the sleep remedies that I've learned is to never stay in bed if you can’t fall asleep within 10-15 minutes. Over time, that bad habit will train your body to think of the bed as a place for other activities and not as a place for sleeping. If you’re unable to drift off, get out of bed and try one of the activities above. It might be the saving grace you need.
What’s your bedtime routine? How do you fall asleep and break bad sleeping habits? Ready to have the best sleep ever? Let's start by removing the stress impacting your life. Schedule your free breakthrough session with Lauren! And if you're newer to the idea of burnout resilience and life coaching, check out this helpful article.
Rest easy, friends.
