1. Have a pre-sleep ritual
To counter the build-up of stress hormones throughout the day, have a pre-sleep ritual. A great one is to do a 1-2 minute reflection on the day and what you are grateful for. Doing this will change your energy as it takes you out of your mental exertion and puts you into your heart energy. It will make you think of beautiful images as you fade off into the sleep sunset…
2. Soothing sounds
If you are a light sleeper, you might be awakened by noises, so take as much control over your environment as you can. Block unpleasant noise and create a pleasant “surround sound.” Any of these will do the trick for you:
- “White noise” machines
- CD’s or mp3 device ‘songs’ that are composed to play soothing music
- Hypnosis ‘tapes’ to help you relax and fall asleep
- Mobile apps (e.g., Sleep Genius or others) that play ‘pink noise’ that drowns out sounds that might wake you up.
3. Relaxing Scents
Certain aromas such as lavender, chamomile, and ylang-ylang activate the alpha wave activity in the back of your brain. This leads to relaxation and sound sleep. There are lots of ways of sending the relaxing aromas your way:
- Purchase an aromatizer that will infuse the air in your room
- Put a dot of the aromatic essential oil underneath your nose or on your wrists to inhale it while you fall asleep
- Mix a few drops of essential oil and water in a spray bottle and spritz your pillowcase.
4. Bedtime Snacks that promote sleep
What are two foods that keep the amino acid tryptophan working longer in your body to help you feel drowsy? Cherry juice is a natural source of the sleep-wake cycle hormone melatonin and keeps the amino acid tryptophan working longer within your body. Add to the list any foods with a good amount of Calcium (found in cheese, yogurt, and milk) in them.
5. Kiss, Hug, and Snuggle
Create a special moment at sleep time with someone you love. Snuggling with someone you are comfortably in a relationship with has been shown to help you de-stress and find calm And yes, if you are alone in the bed, cuddling with furry pet will give you the same effect!
