How do you sleep?

Do you struggle to get to sleep? Do you struggle to switch off? Maybe you wake up in the night with your mind racing.

I used to think that the only way I could be more productive was to sleep less so that I had more time to get stuff done. The irony is that without enough sleep, it takes us longer to get through our to-do lists and we are ultimately less productive.

Here are a few reminders for better sleep:

• Limit your caffeine intake, especially after midday. It can take 10-12 hours for caffeine to completely clear from your system. Remember that caffeine is also in chocolate (including hot chocolate) and some fizzy drinks too.
• Avoid screen time before bed. Ideally, remove screens from the bedroom entirely. The same goes for your phone – leave it in another room if possible – make your bedroom a device-free sanctuary of loveliness!
• Don’t eat too close to bedtime. If you can, leave yourself as much time as possible to digest your food before going to bed.
• Try not to exercise too close to bedtime. Give yourself an hour to allow your core body temperature to reduce.
• Avoid alcohol. Alcohol may help you feel sleepy but don’t be fooled by its ability to lull you to sleep – it won’t help you with the restorative natural sleep your body needs to thrive.
• Lower the lights as you approach bedtime. Try to reduce the amount of light as much as possible to give your body the signals it needs to feel sleepy.
• Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even at weekends if you can. This helps your body establish a routine.
• Read, meditate, breathe for a few moments before bed – whatever you need to do to calm your mind. If you tend to worry, overthink, or remember things you need to do as you’re lying in bed, keep a notepad by your bed and let everything out of your mind and on to the page.

I could go on. I could talk about how wonderful sleep is all day long (which would definitely put you to sleep). It’s also useful to consider some of these points if you have children who are struggling to sleep… my 6-year-old daughter has certainly tested my sleep strategies recently!

If you need help calming your mind before you sleep, get in touch – I can coach you through breathing and meditation techniques to help you rest. I also write and record personalised guided meditations that you can download and listen to whenever you need them.