(♥)
Sleep is one of those things -- like food or air -- that most of us don't give too much thought to until we're without it. When you have no trouble sleeping, sleep doesn't seem like a topic to deserve much thought. However, when you can't sleep, that lack of rest can impact everything in your life. Whether you realize it or not, sleep is a crucial element of living a positive, present life. When you're exhausted, it's pretty hard to be positive. And it's also hard to be present as well. Your mind wanders, you can feel disoriented. Staying positive in the present becomes very difficult when you're tired.
To live the best possible life, you need to make sure you're rested and ready for whatever comes your way. If you've ever had trouble sleeping and looked for ideas online, I'm sure you've come across countless articles (and even entire sites!) dedicated to the topic of finding rest. I'm certainly no expert on the subject, but I've been a pretty decent sleeper most of my life. I have my nights where sleep eludes me, but those nights are rare, so I've come up with five tips -- S.L.E.E.P. -- that I've used over the years to help me sleep. Hopefully they can help you the next time you find yourself lying awake pondering whether or not counting sheep might actually work...
Schedule your sleep. Seems like a silly thing to do, but just like you schedule your meals, your workouts, or your time spent with friends, you should also schedule your sleep time. I personally strive to go to sleep every night at 10pm -- and I rarely miss that deadline. If you schedule your sleep like you would another appointment in your life, you'll help yourself stay on track and you'll (hopefully) get yourself to bed at reasonable hour.
Limit sources of stimulation. You've heard it before: before you go to bed, don't consume caffeine or sugar; don't watch television or play video games; don't go to the gym. Yes, this advice is pretty unoriginal, but it really is worth listening to. Whatever pumps you up -- whether it be a substance or an activity -- avoid it for at least a few hours before bedtime. For some added sleep help, try doing something that calms you down -- drinking decaf tea, taking a bubble bath, reading a book, etc.
Eliminate distractions. Just as you should rid your life of stimulation when you are trying to get some rest, you must also eliminate all elements that might distract you from sleep. Turn off or silence your cell phone. Stop checking email so you don't become stressed about the next day's to-do list. Ask your friend or family members to save potentially stressful conversations for the next day. Whatever you need to do to elminate distractions from your life so you can focus on sleeping, do it.
Engage four of your senses. When I was a kid, my cousin shared this tip with me: if you're having trouble falling asleep, tune into your senses. Instead of letting worries fill your mind, instead think about what you can hear, feel, smell, taste. (But ignore what you see -- you need to keep your eyes closed!) Whenever I do this exercise, I always find that I fall asleep. Something about being fully present and not allowing my mind to wander too much helps to ease me into a restful state.
Put yourself in an odd spot. This last one I can't guarentee. The only person I know who has tried it is me -- but it seems to work like a charm! When I'm having trouble sleeping, I'll lie on my back. Since I'm a side sleeper, this isn't a comfortable way for me to sleep and the longer I lie like that, the more my body wants to get into a comfortable position. When I finally allow myself to roll over, my body seems grateful and is almost always ready for sleep.
Whether you're consciously aware of it or not, sleep is essential when it comes to experiencing a positive day. The less sleep you get, the unhappier you become. To make the most of every day, strive to get the sleep you need (from what I've read, the "right" amount is different for everyone so experiment until you find the number of hours that are right for you). And if you're struggling to get to sleep, give some of these tips a try. They've certainly worked for me!
like I wrote in my post[you're welcome, btw], it's so funny how much your posts fit my life. just today I thought about my sleeping habits...I know that I sleep too less even if I know how much my body needs it. I like your fourth & fifth tip; I'll give them a try the next time I'll have trouble to fall asleep.
Posted by: Sandra | October 24, 2011 at 03:30 PM
Sandra - I'm so glad you enjoy the posts and can relate to them. I hope these tips help you with sleeping!
Posted by: positively present | October 24, 2011 at 08:37 PM
The last tip is weirdly true I think, since I've used it and it worked for me! :)
Posted by: Elise | October 25, 2011 at 05:54 PM
Elise - That's awesome. I didn't know anyone else had tried that. Cool to know it works for someone else too!
Posted by: positively present | October 25, 2011 at 06:40 PM
I love it. Your article is really informative and I like the topic too. It just made me realize something. Thanks for sharing your post. I hope to see more next time.
Posted by: Kevin Ruiz | October 28, 2011 at 05:11 AM
Kevin - Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the article!
Posted by: positively present | October 28, 2011 at 06:53 AM
Very good tips for being positive.I really felt happy to go through your tips.Thanks!!
Personally I feel one must,Nurture healthy, constructive and noble thoughts, habits and traits. Also build strong moral behaviors.
Practice physical self-discipline, mental control and social orderliness.Have homogeneous thoughts, words and deeds.
If there is any mismatch in ones thinking, talking and action, it may result in double standards and also in shaking the basic moral foundations.
Flush out all the huge accumulations of impurities hidden in the mind, it can result in doubts confusions, suspicion or fear.
See the brighter side of future. Be positive in attitude with a broader outlook and noble vision.
Please analyze everything and try to come out of this problem by some self-efforts.
Posted by: Mujibur Rehman | November 10, 2011 at 08:22 AM