When it comes to falling asleep and getting our full 8-hours a night, it can be hard if you have a million and one worries, questions and tasks whirling around your mind.
We asked the sleep experts at NEOM Organics to give us their best tips and tricks on how to fall asleep and really get the most out of a peaceful slumber.
Earth your brow
This is such a simple but powerful action, but what is it? Essentially it's a technique which helps relieve stress, headache and tension. Press your hand against your forehead and it will instantly soothe your parasympathetic nervous system, mediating stress hormones and quietening a busy mind. Child’s pose before bed is perfect for this: rest your head on the floor, or on your folded hands. Soften your eyes and your jaw and let gravity do the work for you, disentangling your mind and body from the business of your day.
Brain download
Scribble down any concerns or any nagging thoughts. Much better to get it out than let them amplify in your mind. Ask yourself whether these things really are as real and pressing as you first thought. Write down anything you genuinely need to tackle tomorrow. You can then let it slip from your mind, safe in the knowledge that your notes will then remind you…
Create or replay your "best day"
Rather than let your mind linger on worry or tomorrow’s to do list, focus your mind on making your perfect day. From how you will wake, to what you’ll eat, filling it with your favourite activities and company.
Use a mantra
If you still feel it hard to unwind, or are finding it hard to get back to sleep, try the following lines: ‘If I can’t sleep, I will rest. If I can’t slow my mind, I will soften my body. I receive the inhalation, I surrender to the exhalation. I become my breath’. As you repeat it, work on physically softening any tension you find in your body and feeling the sensations of your breathing.
Develop a ritual of relaxation before bed
Try a digital detox (ie turn off your tech), and instead do something you find soothing. Read a book which will help you drift off. Do a 5 minute yoga routine you watched on YouTube earlier. You will detach from stimulation.
Scent gives you a powerful kick here – try scented candles, room sprays, pillow spray, body oil and hand balms.
