As we lay our heads down on our pillows, there are many things that happen in our day to day lives that pop into our heads. To-Do Lists; meetings we have to attend; last minute assignments; a random song stuck in your head; and anxieties of the day are all examples of things you might be thinking about at night. Getting a good nights sleep is crucial to keeping a good mental and physical health. To also help me with my sleep schedule and to sleep better at night, I’d like to share 5 things that have both helped me with my sleep and have helped other people in my life!
TIP NUMBER 1
Journaling! Writing out your To-Do Lists for the next day, recording in your calendar and writing out your worries and thoughts, makes sure that you’re fully able to relax and let your journal hold all your troubles. Like talking to a friend, your journal is here to listen and record what bothers you.
One of my favorite types of journals to write is a Bullet Journal. Bullet Journaling is totally something you should look into, but Bullet Journaling is a creative way to journal, so I can keep receipts, wrappers, business cards, post cards, etc. from my trip, and include them in my final spread. Writing and reflecting on a trip helps me by giving me something to look back on, and remember what was important about that time.
The same can go for when you write down your feelings and to do lists. Letting go of your feelings and thoughts will give you peace of mind and so your brain is able to calm down before sleep.
TIP NUMBER 2
Read a book! If you read for at least 30 minutes before bed, you’re able to get your brain away from the distractions from the world around you, even when you’re stressed. Being able to imagine a world other than your own, gives your brain a break, letting it calm down.
What books do you love? What type of genre is your favorite? My favorite genre is true crime and thrillers! I know that doesn’t sound super relaxing, but it helps me think about something else, other than my stressors. Journaling before I read my current book (Snapped: Agent Jade Monroe FBI Thriller by C.M. Sutter, for those who are interested) also helps to fully immerse myself in the book I am reading.
TIP NUMBER 3
Essential Oils and Tea! As I read and write in my journal and read a book, I like to make a cup of tea in one of my favorite mugs and start my destress journey. The type of tea I normally have to relax is any Chamomile or Sleepytime tea. The herbs in the tea helps us relax, and drinking warm water is also said to help calm your nerves and make you feel nice and relaxed for sleep.
Another thing I have tried is rubbing essential oils on my neck and the inside of my wrists. Lavender is proven to help with your nervous system and produce certain waves in your brain to help you sleep. Lavender sleep masks, dried lavender above the bed and lavender essential oils on parts of the body are all things that have helped me wind down for sleep.
TIP NUMBER 4
Put your phone away before climbing in bed. Screens for me aren’t just bad for your eyes late at night, but scrolling through social media comes with a lot of stress. There are so many people that fake themselves online to be more attractive, happier and better-off and we love to compare ourselves to peers and the people on our social media pages. In regards to sleep, I need to put all social media away so I can fully rest my brain. I put my phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ every night and I close out of all social media and texts before bed. Now I only worry about what’s going on with me, and what helps me destress from the day.
TIP NUMBER 5
Try to keep from tossing and turning, go do something relaxing. I read on another blog the other day, if you are tossing and turning at night, get up and do something else more relaxing so you’re able to get sleepy before going to sleep. If you try and force yourself to sleep when you aren’t sleepy or your mind is yelling at you to do certain things, you won’t get a good nights rest, and be groggy the next morning. What I have tried to relax me, is going on a walk. If that means just going downstairs for a glass of water, or putting on a podcast or calming music and going on a walk around campus (be safe y’all), I will be able to sleep better.
As we push journaling, reading, drinking tea, detoxing from social media, and going on mini walks and de-stressors into our daily routines, we can all sleep better and be happier and healthier people! Let me know if you try these methods out! Did they work for you? Which was the best strategy? Did you combine any of them?
I hope y’all have an amazing rest of your day, and have a good restful sleep tonight! You deserve it. :)
Make Today Great!
-Kailee