If your sleep has been disrupted in recent months, you’re not alone— some researchers have dubbed this ‘COVID-somnia.’
We all know the many benefits of a good night’s sleep, including that it can strengthen the body’s immune system, keep our minds focused and sharp, and improve our mood and mental health.
Fortunately, mindfulness practices and exercise are two proven ways that you can get your sleep schedule back on track.
Easy habits to help you improve your quality of sleep and how to get started:
Physical activity
For better sleep, get 30-minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every day. Try to work out two hours before bed so your body can settle down after that boost of endorphins.
Mindfulness meditation
Try a five to 10-minute mindfulness meditation to trigger your body’s ‘relaxation response,’ basically the opposite of the ‘fight or flight’ stress response.
Lying on your back in bed or on your yoga mat, get comfortable and let your body sink into the earth. Bring awareness to your regular breath pattern and focus on your inhales and exhales. Thoughts will come and go. Acknowledge them and let them pass, returning your focus to your breath.
Try Harvard University’s Awareness of Breath Meditation >
Meditation comes in many forms, so choose one that works for you, whether that’s listening to nature sounds before bed, following a guided meditation via an app, doing some calming movement, such as tai chi or yoga, or trying different breathing exercises.
There are many science-backed benefits to meditation, including:
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Decreasing depression
- Reducing the physical and psychological effects of pain
- Improving memory and efficiency
Body scan
This is something instructors can practice on their own or incorporate into their sessions with clients.
Lying on your back, take a few deep breaths, then begin scanning your body from head to toe, using your mind to focus on each area. As you move across your body, tense and tighten and then release and relax each muscle group, eventually feeling like you’ve achieved complete relaxation throughout the body.
Try Harvard University’s Body Scan Meditation >
Nightly gratitude practice
A few studies have found a link between a gratitude practice and better and longer sleep. By recognizing the good things happening in your life, you’re more likely to have positive, soothing thoughts before bed rather than gloomy, anxiety-inducing ones.
Make your gratitude practice a habit:
- Start small and set a timeline: Record one thing you are grateful or thankful for each day for a month and see what happens and how it makes you feel.
- Stack habits: Keep a journal by your bed and write it down at the end of the day or share it with your family at dinner. By making it part of your regular routine, known as ‘stacking habits,’ you’ll be less likely to forget about it.
- Share and stay accountable: Ask your kids or friends to take part and share their gratitude with you. It can be very powerful and inspiring to hear what others have to say, giving you even more reasons to be thankful.
What rituals do you practice before bed to help you sleep? Share them with us @Merrithew #FeelGoodFebruary >