With everything going on in the world right now, it’s natural that people are experiencing more anxiety and are having trouble falling asleep. Even people who tend to get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis might be seriously struggling.
We’ve all felt the frustration of being mentally and physically exhausted, yet still not being able to sleep. Maybe you’ve tried a meditation app, reading a book or drinking chamomile tea. In my experience, tech-free activities that allow you to reflect on life in a soothing way are powerful.
I’d like to share some of my go-to bedtime mindfulness exercises that you can try tonight.
Start gratitude writing
Writing down your thoughts is a therapeutic way to release your emotions and express your current state of being. You don’t even need a dedicated journal. Just set aside five to ten minutes, pick up a pen and jot down what you’re grateful for at the end of the day.
Make sure you find a quiet, cozy space with no distractions. Turn off your phone and other devices, too. Visualize specific people and things you love in as much detail as possible. If you focus on the abundance in your life, you’re bound to go to bed in a more positive mood, which will help you sleep more soundly.
Try box breathing
Box breathing is a simple but powerful breathing exercise. To begin, set a timer for one to three minutes. For the duration of that time, breathe in for four seconds while keeping one hand on your chest and the other hand on your lower stomach. Hold your breath for four seconds and then exhale for four seconds. You can repeat the process as many times as you’d like.
Another way to focus on your breath is by outlining and tracing a box with your finger. This will allow you to keep a steady pace. This box breathing exercise will cause you to concentrate on the air slowly entering and exiting your body, so you’ll notice that you feel less anxious and sleepier in no time.
Practice Yoga (even just a few simple poses)
Yoga is an incredibly calming way to end a crazy day. By dedicating time at night to focus on your body, you’ll quiet your mind at the same time.
Some people get intimidated by the idea of a bedtime Yoga routine, thinking that they always need to do a perfect series of poses, but even just a few calming poses can make all the difference (and you don’t even need a Yoga mat.) I recommend trying cat-cow, supine spinal twist, and child’s pose. When the tension throughout your physical body is relieved, your mental state will naturally improve, too.
During stressful times, sleep is critical to restoring and detoxing the mind and body. Instead of zoning out in front of a screen before bed (which could lower your quality of sleep), carve out the time to practice mindfulness. You’ll wake up the next day feeling more rested, positive and productive.
I created some mindfulness bedtime activities, which you can download here.
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image 1 Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash 2. Photo by kike vega on Unsplash 3. All other images courtesy of author
