The best way to get a good night’s rest is to get a full seven to nine hours of sleep. However, for some, it may not be as easy as it is for others. Stress plays a big part in interrupting a healthy night’s sleep. Stress from work, kids, or an endless list of things to do can have your mind racing a mile a minute. Relaxation techniques can help ease some of the stress that comes after a long day. If you don’t know where to start, here are three techniques to put into practice tonight.
Make your bed and room a haven in the mornings
Nothing is more uninviting than a messy or unclean bed. Making your bed every morning and washing your sheets weekly lowers your stress level and improves your mood. Coming home to a well-put together bed and tidy bedroom will make you feel calm and in control. While making the bed won’t solve all of your problems, it becomes part of your bedtime routine — which experts advocate. Just like a baby knows it’s their bedtime by the routine their parents stick to i.e. bathtime, lullabies, getting rocked — an adult should have a bedtime routine too. That routine includes turning the bed in to signal your brain it’s time to relax.
Keeping a neat and tidy room from the beginning of your day can be a gift to come home to by becoming the peaceful space you need to relax. Versus coming home to piles and feeling overwhelmed from the chaos and adding another thing to your to-do list.
Use Aromatherapy
A lavender essential oil is used to take a natural approach. Since lavender is used to alleviate stress and anxiety, you can use lavender oil in different ways. Lavender as a linen spray, especially on your pillows, allows you to inhale the scent to calm down your nervous system. Adding a few drops of lavender oil to a diffuser next to your bed at night can also be inhaled while it fills the room with the calm scent. You can also apply the oil directly to your skin. Massaging your temples, forehead, and neck can help ease a headache, while also being close enough to inhale. If you’ve got more time, try adding a few drops to a bath and soak in it to help ease any tension in your body while the scent travels to your nervous system and allows you to relax.
Turn screens off
Checking your phone at night, whether it be emails, social media, or text messages, will have you up due to a demand for your attention. Therefore, experts suggest that turning off screens before bed is the best way to calm down. The problem with turning on a TV show at night is that it grabs your attention and will have you past your planned bedtime to catch the ending. Social media, in general, should be avoided prior to sleep since it leaves you with feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction. These types of feelings can turn into stress and anxiety. Try reading your favorite book, a magazine, or if you need the TV on for background noise, turn it to a channel you have no interest in and set the sleep timer so you don’t have to worry about manually turning it off.
To make sure you make the most of these routines and techniques, make sure you have a mattress and sheets that are comfortable to your personal touch. If you think your bedding may be stopping you from getting a full night’s rest, try shopping for organic sheets. Sheets such as Ela Lane organic cotton sateen sheets are made for comfort and are able to wash well because of their thread. Bamboo pillows may also help as they are extremely light and breathable. If bedding is the culprit, do your research and see what kind