Tips for Better Sleep

Photo Credit: Instagram @Bambookkkk

Do you remember in kindergarten when our teachers would make us take naps? Most of us hated them. We wanted to stay up, play with our friends, and may have even tried refusing naps altogether. Now as adults, sleep is something that most of us can struggle with from time to time. We may even wish that we could take naps again during the day! No one ever mentions to us when we are younger that sleep can become a challenge as adults.With the many responsibilities, day to day tasks, and thoughts that run through our minds, it can truly be difficult to fall asleep at night. We may often find ourselves feeling restless throughout the night and even more exhausted the following morning. For those of us that experience anxiety, sleep can definitely be a struggle.

Although getting enough sleep can be a challenge, there are things that we can do throughout the day to help prepare our bodies for rest at night. If getting enough sleep is something that is difficult for you, here are some tips that can help:

• Grounding practices such as progressive muscle relaxation throughout the day

• Keep the room dark and at a cool temperature

• Limit caffeine intake to 1-2 cups per day

• Limit alcohol (the sugar in it will keep you up)

• No food 3-4 hours before bed

• Meditation or breathwork before bed

• Phone keep on nightshift mode in the evening

While these are all tips that may help you get better sleep at night, it is always important to explore your sleep challenges with your therapist and/or a medical professional. Sometimes, there may be underlying things that we aren't aware of that may be preventing our bodies from resting.

Here is a reel that I created exploring an evening routine that you can use to help prepare your body for rest:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CdMwgJcrVSc/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=