11 Effective Ways to Relax Before Bedtime
Photo Courtesy: audhray
Sleep is essential! It doesn’t only rejuvenate you, but it also keeps you healthy and active. People know the importance of sleep, but sometimes they are unable to drift off to their dreamland despite of being tired. Sometimes you feel exhausted and your body asks you to sleep, but you simply can’t. There can be several reasons behind this, but stress is one of the main reasons. You are unable to sleep when your mind is thinking constantly about all those things that went wrong during the day or past few days. You also worry about the things that could go wrong tomorrow. Here are some tips to relax before bedtime, and have great sleep at night.
1. Don’t do anything stimulating before closing your eyes to sleep
Take some time to wind down and don’t send emails or texts to anyone before sleeping. Set aside at least 30 to 45 minutes before bed time, and ban yourself from doing anything that can stimulate the mind. For instance, computer work or even your office work can stimulate your mind.
2. Avoid watching TV
Watching sitcoms will not only keep your mind awake, but will also keep you from going off to bed. Switch off the TV at least 30 minutes before your bedtime.
3. Pray before you close your eyes to sleep
If you are a religious or spiritual person, then this is one of the best ways for you to get a good night sleep. You can meditate before you sleep. Simply shut your eyes and pray to God. Repeat your favorite prayer again and again in your mind.
4. Listen to soothing music
This is an ideal option for people who love nature. There are a lot of CDs that have natural sounds in them. These sounds might include chirping sounds of birds, sound of the ocean waves, sound of rivers, sound of waterfalls etc. Try CDs having soothing music of various musical instruments. Music lovers can listen to some relaxing songs that don’t stimulate negative thoughts.
5. Do some deep breathing
Take 10 minutes to sit still and breathe deeply. Make sure that you notice your breath when you breathe in and out, else your mind might wander elsewhere. Stop deep breathing after 10 minutes and lay.
6. Take a warm water bath
It’s a cliche, but it really works! This idea has a scientific logic behind it. A hot water bath relaxes your muscles and raises your core body temperature. This ultimately helps you to feel warm and fall asleep.
7. Stop thinking about everything and go on a vacation in your mind
Stop thinking about work, household chores, kids, hubby and all the pending errands before you go to bed. Take a mental vacation and use your power of imagination to visit a relaxing place away from your home and office.
8. Exercise for at least 45 minutes every day
Exercising is a great stress reliever. You can exercise in the morning, evening or at least three hours before bedtime. Exercising will really help you sleep better because it makes your muscles work hard. It also makes the heart pump the blood faster.
9. Make your bedroom sleep friendly
Make your bedroom clutter free. Throw out the things you don’t use and clean the rest of the items. Keep your sheets, pillows, bed and comforters clean. Pick bedding of your favorite color and decorate your bedroom on a weekend. The bedroom should be neither too hot nor too cold. Keep it as dark as possible. If you feel uncomfortable in a completely dark room then use a dim foot light to keep the room a little lit.
10. Use fragrance to feel relaxed
Some medical-grade essential oils can make you feel relaxed. So, choose the one you like the most and put it in a diffuser. Switch the diffuser on at least 30 minutes before bed time. Some good essential oils are lavender, petit grain, geranium, chamomile, sandalwood and rose.
11. De-clutter your mind and make a ‘To Do’ list
Take a pen and a paper. Afterwards, make a ‘To Do’ list. This will help you plan for the pending errands and things that are to be done urgently. This idea helps people become stress free. You can also write your worries on a piece of paper. Write down the solution of some of these problems and leave the rest for the next day.
