Part II - Sleep Tips: getting to sleep
- Joanna Hannam
- Sep 2, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 8
So it’s time to go to sleep, you’ve ticked off all the items on the preparation list but you’re still not drifting off.
Get out of your head and into your body
Follow this body feeling technique to relax your mind and body into sleep:
Put your attention on your toes and hold it there for a few seconds and tell your toes to relax
Then the balls of your feet and hold it there for a few seconds and tell that area to relax
Then your arches, heels, ankles, calves, shins, knees…
Keep going until you reach the top of your head
In all likelihood, you won’t get much beyond your torso before you’re asleep, but if you do, at least your whole body is relaxed and resting.
Stretch it out
Stretching is another way of bringing your attention to your body and telling your mind you're safe and it's ok to go to sleep. If a tiger was about to attack you, you wouldn't be stretching, so this act tells your body it's safe.
Sit up in bed, lights off, eyes closed. Hold each stretch for 30 secs and count in your head.
Back of body - bend forward to stretch the backs of your legs and lower back
Glutes - pull one foot into your groin and lean forward for a glute stretch - repeat on the other side
Shoulder blades - stretch one arm across the front of your body and pull it towards you with your other hand - repeat on the other side
Triceps - with your arm above your head, elbow pointing upwards, hand hanging down. Pull gently on your elbow towards your head to feel a stretch in your arm and through your armpit - repeat on the other side
Realign neck - link your hands behind your head and push your head back into your hands, while at the same time push your head back into your hands. Your elbows should shift backwards and your chest pushes forward
Neck - slowly move your head to each side, front and back and feel the stretch in your neck, shoulders and throat
Jaw - we hold a lot of tension in our jaw. Put your thumb in your mouth and place on the jaw joint and put your index finger in the same place but on your cheek. Use both thumb and finger to massage the joint while slowly opening and closing your jaw.
Now lie down and continue to count to 30 over and over until you fall asleep.
Take the pressure off
Lying in bed in a relaxed state is akin to sleep. Your body is still resting and you’re not asking anything from it so it can get on with the nightly to-do list.
If your mind starts to get active, either repeat the body feeling technique above or use your mind's eye to go to your happy place (which I doubt is your email, work or doctors office).
Just like a 2-year-old, the brain objects to being asked to sit still with nothing to do so lob in a pic of a Caribbean beach or a stunning view for it to play with.
Show some gratitude
It's impossible for you to be 'stressed' and show gratitude, something that creates bliss and happiness in the body, at the same time - it's like trying to walk forwards and backwards at the same time!
So if you're struggling to drop off and your mind is wandering into unhappy territory, try making a mental list of everything you’re grateful for and keep going until you can't think of anything else. The likelihood is you will have fallen asleep before you finish your list!
Struggling to think of things? Start really basic, such as:
“I’m grateful that I have clean air to breath, a comfortable bed, a roof over my head, a clean toilet to use”.
Treat yourself to an orgasm
The various chemicals produced by the body when we orgasm relax your muscles and often trigger sleep. And in contradiction to what you may have been told when you were a teenager, masturbation doesn’t lead to blindness or causes you to grow hair on the palms of your hands!
I know for a lot of women the thoughts in our heads are as responsible for achieving orgasm as the ‘device’ used in your nether regions. However, it’s unlikely that your to-do list, unpaid bills or family troubles get you off, so it can be good to just change the channel up there. And I’m sure Chris Hemsworth (or whichever delectable person works for you) wouldn't be offended!
If nothing else, you’ve taken your mind off your woes, had an enjoyable moment and released a bit of tension. :)
Where to next?
Vedic Meditation is great for sleep issues
To find out more about how Vedic Meditation can help with your sleep challenges and so much more, arrange a FREE consultation call with Joanna.
Email joanna@findyoursmile.co or complete the Contact form to arrange a date and time to chat.
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