When you search for advice about sleeping you probably read the same recommendations over and over and over. The three untraditional sleeping tips are not what you might expect. If you’re up late or are having trouble establishing a routine, you might benefit from these tips to help you sleep now.
Unload Your Mind
Try journaling, praying, or making a to-do list. The practice of releasing the mind is often suggested regarding stress relief. You might consider writing or praying as boring activities and could therefore understand why they might be helpful, but boring you to sleep isn’t the goal. If you’re in a pitch-black room, that’s as boring as it gets, yet it doesn’t always do the job of getting you to sleep.
Journaling can help stop the mental circles that are riding the merry-go-round in your head. Try free writing for 15 – 30 minutes before bed to unload the day’s stresses. Julia Cameron recommends in her book, The Artist’s Way, to participate in a similar process she calls “The Morning Pages.” The free writing exercise is to identify the torments of your mind while also bringing mental relief.
Praying can be done similarly. To benefit from the natural release by not overthinking, try praying with little to no pausing. If praying isn’t for you, then consider speaking with a spouse or family member at the end of the day. Use caution when dumping on others. Also, you might not be able to dump your stresses on others if they’re the ones you’re stressing about; arguing will only keep you from falling asleep.
In his book, Redeeming Your Time, Entrepreneur Jordan Raynor refers to what he calls “Open Loops.” As soon as you think or say a phrase that involves a desire or task, it becomes an “Open Loop” in your mind. He uses the example of having an earworm from an unfinished song. Whether or not you enjoy the song is irrelevant, but because the mind hasn’t finished the song, it remains open. Having an “Open Loop” causes more stress and doesn’t allow your mind to rest until your tasks are complete. Jordan recommends writing down every task, no matter how big or small, to remove it from going loop de loop.
Do What Feels Natural
Sleeping isn’t a new concept, and agonizing or obsessing over not sleeping won’t help you. Sleep is an involuntary function. If you could easily flip the switch that causes you to sleep at night, then sleep deprivation and insomnia wouldn’t be an issue in society.
Instead of trying to force yourself to sleep, which won’t work, you should do what feels natural. If you know that on most nights you fall asleep playing a game on your phone or watching tv, then your natural habit and routine will be broken when you don’t.
Since sleep is involuntary, you must shut your mind off. The easiest way to stop thinking about what you’re doing is through a routine on autopilot. According to NewScientist, the elimination of consciously focusing on a task through autopilot mode lessens the difficulty of performing that task.
Accept Help
Seek help to relax your body through music, massage, or food. Try using apps like HeadSpace. Have your spouse rub your back. Certain foods can keep your tummy from grumbling and increase your brain’s natural melatonin levels.
It’s not easy not stressing or trying to manipulate your sleep, especially when you’re tired. You can trust natural products such as melatonin or chamomile tea to help you attack sleep hardcore like USANA Athletes. Another untraditional but natural product you could try is Johnson’s baby bedtime lotion.
Always consult with your doctor to see if other methods or supplements are right for you.
Miyagi the Mind
In the Karate Kid, Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel Larusso karate without him realizing it through household chores. Daniel Larusso’s mind quickly familiarized itself with the autopilot routine, allowing him to perform essential offense and defense without thinking or stressing– it came naturally.
Miyagi the mind by releasing stress routinely to help promote a healthy sleep cycle.