Are you a sleep-chaser or a sleep-embracer? Many of us are unable to sleep well, deep, or for prolonged periods of time. If you are my sister, you can put your head down on the pillow and the next thing you know, it’s morning. She doesn’t even get up to pee. So jealous of her ease of sleep. That and her Andie MacDowell, age-defying, gorgeous ,hair. Anyway, back to the rest of us.

I’ve suffered from the inability to sleep, getting up several times in the night, and waking up down right grouchy. I know many more people in my camp than my sister’s. However, I have good news. I sleep much better now and although there are still restless nights, they are regulated to times of crisis (like moving!), which is both normal and expected. When you were a baby, you slept deep like you didn’t have a care in the world. With the right tools and knowledge, uninterrupted sleep can become your modus operandi again. In my experience, stress and over-thinking are often the main reasons we don’t sleep well or deep. There are tips and tricks we can employ to sleep like that sweet little baby pictured above.

The Formula:

1. Establish a routine and stick to it as much as possible. Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. Once this pattern becomes routine, you likely won’t need an alarm clock. We all have our own circadian rhythms – I am a lark, aka morning person, so the best time for me to start winding down is around 9:30 pm with the goal to be out like a light by 10 or 10:30. Night owls are on a later schedule. It doesn’t matter if you are a lark or an owl as long as you are getting about 8 hours of sleep and feel rested when you wake up. As part of your routine consider wearing ear plugs and a donning sleep mask. If you sleep next to someone, get them to adopt the ‘sleep uniform’ so you are not the only one looking foolish.
2. Make winding down for bed a ritual. Brew some Chamomile, Lavender or Sleepy Time tea to sip on while reading something light and peaceful. Rub lavender essential oil on the bottoms of your feet, under your nose and on your wrists and temples. Breathe deep as you prepare for sleep.
3. Exercise. We all know that exercise is important for good health but did you know that the time, length and type of exercise is important for optimal sleep? There are scientific studies to prove it. Check out How Can Exercise Help You Sleep by Helen Sanders at healthambition.com. According to the article, my 45-minute morning walk is a great exercise program to get optimal zzz’s! I do sleep well thankfully, especially when I am on a healthy routine, e.g. my morning walk.
4. Avoid liquids after 2-3 pm except for the occasional sip. It’s not easy but works for people who wake up in the middle of the night due to a full bladder. The first time I tried it was the first time I slept straight through the night in a long, long time. It’s so important to stay hydrated so you should load up on your liquids – I can’t say it enough, water is best – in the morning and early afternoon hours and taper off in the afternoon. You may have noticed I suggest tea before bed in tip #2.  For those who wake-up-to-pee, you can still have tea but drink no more than an expresso-sized cup.
5. The expert sleeper has no electronics in the bedroom. Not only are electronics like TVs, phone, iPads, etc. distracting – a quick check on Facebook can turn into an hour easily – but also emit a blue light which affects the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. Your bedroom should be a sanctuary for sleep rather than an extension of your office. Keep electronics in a room other than the bedroom and start powering them down at least one hour before bed.
6. Just before you shut your eyes to go to sleep,  give gratitude for things that went well during the day, people who were helpful or kind to you, and life in general. That will set you up for a positive slumber. I usually fall asleep as I am rattling off my list of things and people for which I am grateful.
7. Accept a bad night’s sleep for what it is and don’t stress over it. The frustration that comes with not sleeping can compound the stress of what is causing your sleeplessness in the first place. Know that occasional sleeplessness is part of life and your sleep will improve if you employ some or all of these suggestions.
8. Make sleep a priority. If you have trouble sleeping and going out late means you have to sacrifice sleep, consider saying no more often. I feel like a cross-eyed monster when I don’t sleep and therefore, take sleep very seriously. If you have fitful sleep for more than one night due to stress, consider taking a mental health day to get back on your cycle. Check your emails but take it a little easier that day – relax, go to a movie, order take-out – and most importantly, don’t feel guilty. Chances are you will be doubly productive the next day which will benefit you and your company.  If you don’t nip this issue in the bud, you just may compromise your immunity to the point where you come down with the plague which will take you out of commission for a week.
9. DIY Reflexology for peaceful slumber. Did you know that our feet are home to nearly 15,000 nerves that are linked to every part of the body? When those nerves are stimulated properly, we are able to experience a feeling of rest and relaxation. Struggling to find a late night pajama appointment with a reflexologist? You can perform you own DIY foot massage. Simply follow the instructions in this fantastic article from Positive Health Wellness, “8 DIY Foot Reflexology Tips for a Peaceful Night’s Sleep.” I can’t wait until the sun goes down to incorporate this relaxing massage into nightly ritual.
10. Just say NO to drugs. It’s so nice to succumb to sleep medication (been there done that, got the t-shirt) but drug-induced sleep comes with side affects and covers up the root cause of that which is causing you to chase rather than embrace zzzs. With time, you will be able to sleep naturally and be happier and healthier for having allowed yourself to sleep the way you were born to. Imagine a quiet mind, natural rhythms,  a sense of gratefulness, the scent of lavender… Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

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