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5 Tips To Create An Evening Routine For Great Sleep
Make "power down" time a priority
Shut down those activities that stimulate your mind, such as work, emails, internet browsing and even watching TV.
Try reading a book, taking a bath, listening to music or practicing some gentle yoga or meditation. Develop rituals that work for you.
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Try a brain dump
Dump it all out. Write some lists, or simply use the "worry diary" technique and jot down all of the things you’re stressing about.
Do this before your "power down" time. This helps your mind let these things go. Once they're written down, you can relax; there's no chance you'll forget them.
Eat, drink and move mindfully
If you’re experiencing sleeping problems:
- Cut back on caffeine (particularly after midday).
- Avoid eating a particularly heavy meal late in the evening.
- Meditation and supplements can also affect sleep so it’s best to get educated about what you’re taking.
- Intense exercise late at night isn't recommended.
Create the right environment for sleep
Ensuring your bedroom is sufficiently dark enough, quiet enough and well ventilated to allow for good sleep.
You might discover that your stress levels increase according to how much mess is in your personal space.
Keep a sleep schedule
Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
If you’re experiencing sleeping difficulties it’s also a good idea to keep a record of exactly when you do get to bed, how often (and for how long) you wake during the night and what time you get up.
This information will be helpful for your clinician if you decide to visit your GP or a psychologist for help with sleeping.
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Why a Night Routine Matters
A night routine is the things you do immediately prior to going to bed.
Three benefits of having a decent night routine:
- You’ll have a more restful and higher-quality sleep....
Before You Head Home…
- Get rid of caffeine after 4:00 pm. Caffeine stays in your system for up to six hours.
Stay hydrated. Dehydration can make you feel sluggish and tired when you want to be awake.
Decide when the workday ends. Establish a cut off time for work-related emails and phone calls as well.
Immediately After Work…
- Avoid alcohol. Alcohol may make you drowsy, but the sleep you get won’t be restful. Stop consuming it at least two hours before bed.
Have a healthy dinner.
When you need a snack closer to bedtime, reach for something light and healthy.
Take time to tidy. Waking up in an orderly space will work wonders for your mood.
Prepare for tomorrow.
When you don’t have a million things to do upon waking, it’s easier to fall asleep.- Take time for yourself. Perhaps you watch an episode of your favorite show or play video games.
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The Brain as a Snowy Hill
The snowy hill represents the brain, the people sledding are like the memories, and the trails left behind are the synapses in the brain.
Think of the brain as a hill covered in snow, ...
Memory Palace/The Method of Loci
- Choose a place that you know really well.
- Plan the route and pick specific locations in your route.
- Decide what you want to memorize
- Place an object or two, with a mental image, and place them in your memory palace. Exaggerate your images. For example, use nudity or crazy images forcing it to stick in your mind.
- Make the image into a mnemonic
Mnemonics
A memory device that helps you retain and retrieve information simply with the use of retrieval cues to encode information in the brain.
- List the words you want to remember.
- Write the initials of each word vertically.
- Create a sentence/phrase using the initials.
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Keep in sync with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle
- Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day;
- Avoid sleeping in, even on weekends;
- Limit naps to 15 to 20 minutes in the early afternoon;
Melatonin
Is a naturally occurring hormone controlled by light exposure that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
Your brain secretes more melatonin when it’s dark, making you sleepy, and less when it’s light, making you more alert.
However, many aspects of modern life can alter your body’s production of melatonin and shift your circadian rhythm
Influence exposure to ligh
During the day:
- Expose yourself to bright sunlight in the morning.
- Spend more time outside during daylight.
- Let as much natural light into your home or workspace as possible.
At night:
- Avoid bright screens within 1-2 hours of your bedtime.
- Say no to late-night television.
- Don’t read with backlit devices.
- When it’s time to sleep, make sure the room is dark.
- Keep the lights down if you get up during the night.
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