How I fall asleep takes a toll on how I function the next day, and even the week ahead. I’m sure you’ve realized that without a good night’s sleep, your day does not go well. I am someone who needs a lot of sleep, probably closer to 10 hours, but 8 will do. For me there is nothing worse than flopping and flailing like a beached whale all night long, peeking over at my clock every hour. Here is what I do to make sure I get a good nights rest, so I can guarantee a successful day ahead.
My tools to fall asleep
I have struggled with sleep most of my life, but when I take the time to implement all these things, I am able to sleep without fail.
- Comfy bed, pillows, sheets
- Room Ambiance
- Review my planner
- Journaling
- Forgiveness statement
- Music, nature sounds, or white noise
Comfy bed, pillow, sheets
This may seem to be a no brainer, but having a comfortable place to sleep can make all the difference. For me, the sheets I use really matter. I can’t sleep in pilled or rough sheets, so in truth I prefer bamboo or hemp sheets as I love their smoothness against my skin. Satin pillow slips are my latest addition, and to my surprise they do make a difference. They stay cool, slippery and smooth.
In addition, the pillow I’m using now has a gel cooling system inside and great support. As a side sleeper having the extra support is essential. The gel cooling system helps me not to overheat and makes me snuggle in deeper when I shift position throughout the night. Furthermore, having the correct support in your pillow will prevent the aches and pains we can get in our neck and backs from sleeping funny. Those with Fibromyalgia know all too well how refreshing it is to wake up pain free in the morning!
In respect to the mattress you sleep on, that is a personal choice. Make sure it’s something firm enough to provide you with the support you need, without being so firm you might as well be sleeping on the floor. Once you have your mattress, pillows and sheets to your liking, then you can move on to the room ambiance.
Room ambiance to fall asleep quickly
The room you sleep in matters as well. The first thing you will need is a dark room. In order to accomplish this, you will need to have curtains that block out external light. We have black out curtains in all our bedrooms to make sure we have the privacy and sleeping conditions we need. Black out curtains come in all colours and sizes, so it’s simply a matter of finding the ones that fit your decor best.
The next thing to consider is the light filtering in through the doorway. We’ve all experienced that beam of light hitting us in the face as we sleep. If you can, reposition your bed, or adjust the door to remove that light beam if turning off the offending light source isn’t possible. In addition, turning off all electronics in the room is a good idea. Having the flickering of a tv screen, monitor, or charger in the room can interrupt sleep through the night.
Review my planner
Reviewing my planner for the next day is really important. It helps me know what to expect the next day, and add anything that has come up during the day. I organize my week on Sundays, and then move things around as necessary. It’s also really fun to check off the things from my day that I actually get accomplished. For the things that didn’t get done, there is no judgement allowed. I simply move it to another day that I have time. This has the added benefit that my mind can rest knowing that nothing has been forgotten.
Journaling
One of the key things I do to fall asleep at night is Journaling. Journaling helps me dump all the thoughts of what’s happened during the day, and what’s coming up tomorrow. My mentor Trish Blackwell, has a wonderful method called the 3/3/3 method. It includes 3 gratitude’s for the day, 3 wins for today, and 3 wins for tomorrow. I always start my journaling with this list of three things. The gratitude’s and 3 wins help change my mood, and helps me fall asleep with the good things from the day on my mind. The 3 wins for tomorrow are the 3 things that I most want to get done that will make the day a success. Once those 3 things are written down, my mind can rest because it knows I’m not forgetting anything important.
After that, I do a brain dump for anything that is bothering me. By putting those thoughts on paper I can discover if they are actually an issue or not. If it’s something I need to deal with, I will schedule it within the week to get done. If it’s frivolous or out of my control, I give it to God and label it appropriately. Now it’s officially out of my mind, and if it pops up again I can confidently say, “I gave that to God, and I can’t wait to see what He does with it!” I will repeat that affirmation every time that thought comes up, until my mind gives up and stops offering it to me.
My forgiveness statement to fall asleep
I close out my journaling with my forgiveness statement. In Joseph Murphy’s book The Power Of Your Subconscious Mind, I learned that the last thing you think about at night before falling asleep is what your subconscious mind will try to make a reality in your life. The subconscious mind doesn’t know what is real or not, so whatever you tell it, it will believe. If you plant thoughts as you are falling asleep, the subconscious will believe it’s real and start creating ways for you to make it happen. Joseph Murphy recommends planting power thoughts in your brain at night for habits and thought patterns you want to change. Your body can actually heal itself when you use the subconscious in this way.
Here is an example of what I write every night before falling asleep:
“My body is relaxed from head to toe and I freely forgive everyone. I wish them success, wealth, joy and good health. I will sleep deeply and continuously through the night. My brain is healing quickly and I can remember everything I need to know. My body is getting stronger every day!”
After repeating this phrase for 30 days, my cognitive function and physical health improved immensely. Since then it is just a new habit I use every night. If I miss it, I can feel it in the quality of my sleep and in my functionality the next day. The funny thing is that my mind is so used to this practice, that as soon as I start writing, “My body is relaxed…” I start getting drowsy and by the time I’ve finished my prayers to God, I am ready to sleep!
Extra benefits of my forgiveness statement
No matter what someone has done to me in the past, I repeat the phrase “I wish them success, wealth, joy and good health.” Even if thoughts of them surface during the day, I will use this phrase to release them from my mind. According to Joseph Murphy, repeating a phrase like this actually turns those blessings mentioned right back onto you! Your subconscious is just that cool, that just repeating those words builds a deeper grove in your neuro-pathways to make them a reality. It also breaks the rumination cycle and actually makes me feel better right way.
Music, nature sounds, or white noise
Having music, nature sounds, or white noise playing has become essential for me to fall asleep. As a west coast girl, I prefer the sounds of the ocean during a rain storm to lull me to sleep. I particularly like the Spotify podcast called Relaxing White Noise – Sleep, Study, Soothe A Baby 8 hours. It has a magnificent range of nature sounds and white noise recordings to choose from. The fact that it runs for 8 hours straight means that when it stops, it’s time to get up!
It’s totally up to you if you want to incorporate music into your night routine or not. My kids love music, but if I hear anything with voices or energetic tempo’s I will instantly wake up. So find something that works for you!!!
What I don’t suggest
The first thing that you should stay away from is eating after 7pm at night. Eating that close to bedtime causes indigestion, as your body is still trying to digest your food. It also doesn’t allow your body to repair itself, as so much energy is being focused on digestion. It can also lead to weight gain, because you are not burning the calories that your body is absorbing. According to Verywellhealth.com, you shouldn’t have a large meal or triggering foods (spicy food or caffeinated drinks) within 3 hours of going to bed.
Secondly, I don’t recommend over the counter or prescribed sleeping pills. Those create a deficit in your body, preventing it from relying on it’s own melatonin resources and over time you need more and more. If you feel the need to take something, melatonin supplements, combined with Magnesium are very helpful and won’t leave you feeling groggy in the morning. Spending time outside in the sun will boost your natural melatonin production enough to improve your sleep. Combining your time outside with exercise will guarantee a good nights sleep.
In Conclusion
Sleep is something very important for the human body to function properly, so finding the right night time routine is essential. For more information about creating a good night time routine, check out my recent blog article: Why Sleep isn’t just for babies. By creating the right sleep inducing conditions, you will be able to fall asleep quickly and continually through the night. I hope you try out some of these ideas today, and discover the benefits that a good nights rest can bring.
One-on-one coaching is a great way to start building your confidence, and improve your health! I offer confidence coaching, health & lifestyle coaching, and exercise coaching. Click here for an application form and I would be happy to help you in your journey. You can also contact me at acgamero16@gmail.com or check out my website: www.nopainallgain.ca
