Improve Your Sleep Hygiene With Mindfulness

Do you find yourself glancing at the clock and wishing you could finally fall asleep? Do you lay in bed ruminating over the day’s events or worrying about that meeting tomorrow? Are you spending too much time on social media when you should be sleeping? 

If the answer to any of the above is yes, then you may not be getting enough sleep. 

Sleep is essential for both our physical and mental health. It aids in immunity and our ability to cope with stress. So what can we do to improve our quality of sleep? First, we must make positive sleep hygiene a priority. Having positive sleep hygiene means sticking to a consistent routine that assists us with not only getting the right amount of sleep, but also quality sleep. 

Here are some tips to improve your sleep hygiene: 

Be mindful of your TIME and SPACE -
Go to bed around the same time each evening and wake up around the same time each morning. Do your best to be consistent about this on weekends too. Training your brain to be on a set schedule will signal when it’s time to rest. This same connection goes for using your bed for just sleep and intimacy. When going to bed, keep your room dark, quiet, and at a good sleeping temperature. Make it a point to have comfortable bedding that’s to your liking. Avoid televisions and computers in your room if possible, and stop using screens one hour before going to bed. 

Be mindful of your BODY -
Start your day by getting dressed for work or school whether you go in person or not. This will help increase your motivation and start your day on the right foot. With many people working from home these days, it can be easy to lay in bed or take a quick snooze. During the day, try to move your body with physical exercise in order to stay active. Set a timer to stand or walk around for a few minutes during the morning and again during the afternoon. At nighttime, prepare your body for a restful night’s sleep by not consuming a heavy meal before bed. Avoid caffeine and nicotine as well prior to bedtime, as this can keep you awake. Alcohol can be disruptive to a continuous night’s rest, so steer clear of having it too close to bedtime and limit your total alcohol consumption.  

Be mindful with your THOUGHTS -
Incorporating mindfulness practice throughout your day and prior to bed can help keep worrying thoughts at bay. Mindfulness is the practice of being present. It can help prepare your mind for sleep and also improve your quality of sleep. So how do you practice mindfulness? Simple. Find a comfortable place to sit and relax. Focus on your breath and the accompanying body sensations that come with your breathing. Acknowledge any worrying or wandering thoughts, then let them float away. Gently return your focus to your breath. This practice can take time so be kind to yourself if it’s difficult at first. Start slowly with a few minutes of mindfulness practice per day. If you find yourself still struggling to sleep at night, try not to focus on the fact you can’t sleep—this will only make it worse. Try to focus on gratitude or peaceful imagery, which can be more calming.  

Some of these mindfulness tips are easy to follow. Others may take practice and persistence to incorporate into your routine. Regardless, taking an active approach integrating mindfulness into your life will improve your ability to get the restful sleep your body and mind need.