How To Sleep Better… (Part 1)

Let’s put it this way – I was NEVER a morning person. I used to be grumpy, dopey, sleepy, and sneezy; and every possible dwarf name from Snow white and the Seven Dwarfs (except Happy, of course). Mornings were a traumatic part of the day for me. I didn’t want to get off my bed; I wanted to sleep a little longer.

I once happened to discuss the same with a colleague at work; and I said ‘It’s like I just went to sleep, and ‘voila’, it’s time to wake up again’.

That’s when the revelation happened. She asked me how many hours of shut eye was I getting each night; and I replied 4. She went on to verbally bash me up with the cons of lack of sleep. The point was simple. I had to sleep for a little longer, around 6 – 8 hours so that my body could rejuvenate. The question ‘HOW’ remained in my head! I just couldn’t manage to sleep before 2 am or so in the night.

Perhaps I was too stressed, suggested another friend. That’s when I started researching ‘How to Sleep Better’ guides. I couldn’t let lack of sleep combined with high stress levels get the better of me. Here are some pointers that worked with me and should help you know how to sleep better!

Light Exercising:

Exercising is said to have a number of stress management benefits over and above the health benefits that it possesses. Moreover, given the crazy schedules we have, most of us might find it easier to exercise at night. You could indulge in some yoga or even some good old walking could help you sleep better, given the fact that it will release some of that pent up tension. It does so without overstimulating your body; because overstimulation is something that can knock you awake once again.

Music Therapy:

Listening to some oldies (or whatever soft music works for you) would help in soothing the mind and the body. Music therapy is now using music as a therapeutic tool. You too could play some music while you’re in bed, and let the music be your lullaby. This would help you wind down, and will also release any tension that you’d been grappling with close to bedtime.

Clean Up Your Act:

According to a poll I found while doing my research, people who live in cluttered rooms will have a lot of difficulty when it comes to sleeping. If you clean up at the end of the day, it could help you sleep better, because decluttering would mean de-stressing. The anticipation to waking up to a cleaner house will eventually help you feel more at peace.

Bubbling Over:

You could step into a bubble bath, as it will leave you feeling pampered and leave you tension free. It is also a great way of telling your body that it is time to relax and slip into ‘sleep’ mode.

Watch out for part 2 of this series to get more tips on how to sleep better.

How To Sleep Better… (Part 2)

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