A dummy’s guide to snoozing right
Until a couple of years ago, for as long as I could recall, I had trouble sleeping. I would keep tossing and turning in bed and finally give up and watch a movie or chat with my mother into the wee hours of the night. Going for late night drives became a ritual on nights there were no other social engagements. There was a time when it became understood that 2 am was the official “bedtime” for our family.
Late nights equal late mornings (and at times, early afternoons). Since I was self-employed without responsibilities of children, this wasn’t largely detrimental to my overall lifestyle. But I have to confess — that I always found myself on the back foot. Panicking and running against time in most instances. Every book I read, every lecture I attended (and nature itself) seemed to emphasise on the importance of starting your day early. But starting your day early means — going to bed early and thus this became a vicious cycle I struggled to break.
If you too are looking to change your routine and sleep better, here are some tried, tested and scientifically backed tips that may help you along:
Physical Exhaustion is imperative to a good nights sleep. Try to get at-least 45 minutes of dedicated exercise time each day. The intensity can vary from day to day but this is a very important part of regimenting your circadian rhythms. Brisk walking, Running, Yoga, Stretching, Cardio, Strength Training, your favourite sport or even Dancing — they all fit the bill. One little pointer — activity (home errands etc) and exercise are two different things and can’t be swapped for one another.
Eating/Drinking the right thing is also of consequence. A general rule of thumb for me is to avoid caffeine (tea/coffee/coke) and stimulants (sugar) post lunch. Replace these with caffeine-free non-stimulating alternatives. Also, dinner should ideally be light and consumed at least a couple of hours before going to sleep (If you tend to get hungry again, make a habit of having some warm milk before sleeping as your final post supper meal).
Technology is an essential element of our daily lives, however too much of a good thing can end up being bad. So be mindful of how much time you spend on screens and what kind of content you are feeding your mind. As the sun begins to set, modify the settings of your mobile, laptop or tablet to make the light warmer (most phones now have a feature where this can happen automatically everyday). Along with this you can also turn on dark-mode. Another useful tip is to turn off all gadgets 2 hours prior to your intended bedtime. The natural question now is, what do you do during those two hours? Which brings us to our next point…
Create a wind-down ritual to practice every night. Take this time to prepare yourself for sleep and disconnect with the external world. A few things that can be considered are — listening to relaxing music, reading a light book, meditating, light Yogasanas and stretching (try The Chandra Namaskar). Another useful tool is to maintain a journal. Here, write 3 things that you accomplished during the day, 3 things that you’re grateful for and a to-do list for the next day. Clearing out your head before hitting the sack puts your mind at ease. It also helps to massage a few drops of Ghee on the soles of your feet just before going to bed.
Make yourself a relaxing nightcap (a small cup of golden latte), say your prayers and affirmations, put on a sleep story and let go of anything that comes to mind because tomorrow is another day! Sweet Dreams
