Having electronics on cues our bodies to stay on the alert. Apart from the light that they emit (that messes with our sleep-awake cycle), they keep us thinking about the million things we have to do. Get rid of them and your brain may be able to shut off, too. [2] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source To help with this, try staying away from all electronics and artificial light sources that would keep your brain awake for at least one hour before you go to bed. Alright, so the one caveat here is TV if done correctly. We’ll talk about how to do this the right way in the next section.
If it’s at night, match the lighting to your needs. If you’re reading a book, turn on a lamp by your bed. Apart from that, have the lighting be dim. If you don’t intend to sleep, you can have the lighting be a bit brighter, but it shouldn’t be anything that offends your retinas.
If you don’t want to fall asleep, make the temperature a little higher, but not too high. You want that sweet spot where your body wants to climb under the covers but not fall asleep. It’ll likely be somewhere around 69° (20°C).
Some good scents are lavender, petitgrain, chamomile, geranium, sandalwood and rose. However, any scent you enjoy could put you in zen garden mode.
You should adjust the temperature to match the clothes you’re wearing. If you’re wearing long johns and a sweater to bed, the room can be a bit colder. If you’re going like the day you were born, you may want to make it a little warmer.
If you have a notebook and pen in hand but don’t know quite what to write about, look out the window for inspiration. What do you hear? What kind of trees are those? Those birds, what are they? What are you noticing that you didn’t notice before?
It’s not just crossword puzzles, of course. You could also take a load off with sudoku, word finds, or other math and word puzzles, too.
Sometimes there’s too much on our minds to spend time primping. If that rings true for you, instead, take this time to organize your mind, writing down to-do lists, planning out your budget or meals for the week, and just getting a firm hold on the steering wheel of your life. When you have this feeling, the rest could fall into place.
Your favorite old-school sitcom is a good bet. Find a program where you can turn your brain off and enjoy the laughs. Avoid the ones that make you worry or evoke a negative emotional reaction, like fear or anger.
Dark chocolate. Just a little bit (about an ounce and a half) has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, which is the hormone in your body that produces stress. It may also be able to help regulate your metabolism. [9] X Trustworthy Source Johns Hopkins Medicine Official resource database of the world-leading Johns Hopkins Hospital Go to source Mango. This fruit has high amounts of linalool, which when smelled has been shown to reduce stress in rats. [10] X Research source Chewing gum. And it doesn’t matter the flavor, either. Just a few minutes of chewing may help lower stress levels, or so some studies have shown. [11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Anything crunchy. Stressed individuals tend to crave crunchy things, and it seems that crunching away may be a stress-reducer. So grab a handful of nuts or celery and start working on your peace of mind. [12] X Research source
It turns out that owning a pet has health benefits too. Owners of furry, four-legged friends tend to have lower blood pressure levels and are at lower risk for depression. [13] X Research source
This is should be thought of as a sort of practical visualization. You’re not only thinking of how wonderful your destination is, but also how happy you’ll be. It may also serve as motivation to save up money, get in shape, and feel good about where your life is going.
Try starting out with breathing in for four beats and breathing out for eight. Do this for a few times, and gradually move up to inhaling for eight and breathing out for sixteen. As you breathe slower, your heart rate will also slow down, cuing your body to relax.
Progressive muscle relaxation. As you’re laying down focusing on your breathing, start moving your focus to your toes. Relax them completely. Move up to your ankles. Let those go, too. Slowly but surely move up your body until every bit of you is consciously relaxed. [16] X Expert Source Alex Dimitriu, MDSleep Specialist Expert Interview. 16 October 2019. Progressive tension release. For this type of relaxation, take a deep breath in. When you let it out, relax your body just a little. Then when you inhale in, let your body be. Don’t try to do anything. But on the exhale, relax a little more. Continue this until your body feels completely relaxed.
If that doesn’t appeal to you, try meditation. Why? Tons of research has denoted that meditation helps alleviate levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. [17] X Research source And you don’t have to sit-up and say, “ommm,” either. Just focus on your breath, and let everything you notice sweep over you without reacting. It’s not about clearing your mind, it’s about letting absolutely nothing fester.
Let’s say you’re on a deserted beach. Are you standing or sitting? How does the sand feel? Is there a breeze? Are there droplets of water in the breeze, too? What do the waves sound like? Are there birds? Can you smell the fish? How bright is it?
Acupressure can also be effective. It’s similar to a massage, but there’s less movement. Try squeezing the pad of skin between your pointer finger and thumb and hold it there for five seconds before releasing. Your body has several pressure points, and tuning into them can help your muscles release tension.
This list is by no means exhaustive. If it inspires you to do something else equally as relaxing, then do it. It’s about what makes you feel good and grants you zen, not what anybody else says. If you want crumbs in the bed, then let crumbs be in the bed. Why not?
