Let Me Help You Get a Good Night's Sleep.
I am a person for whom there is no problem so great that it will keep me awake at night.
This is my gift. I can sleep anywhere, any time, even when its not necessarily convenient.
Now, to be fair, it could be that I possess some mild biological advantage that helps me drift off into sleep. I 'do' have a 'mild' (ahem) case of sleep apnea and that can certainly weigh me down if I fail to get enough sleep.
Even so, I believe that I've developed techniques that greatly improve my odds of drifting off to sleep. I do believe that my sharing them here could help you too.
Disclaimer: Warning. A little humour may be ahead. Do not engage in these practices while operating light or heavy machinery, while driving, while performing emergency health procedures, while procreating, while nursing infants, while crossing the road, while working in air (or any other kind of) traffic control, while cooking, while trying to convince your partner or your boss or somebody equally bossy that you actually are paying attention, or while reading this post... I will find you... and I will end... your pleasant dream... at the most inopportune time...
Right then! Lets get serious!
Lets first speak of the master steps and then work our way down to the beginner steps.
Its alright. I'm a practiced amateur. You'll be fine... probably...ish...
Free Your Mind.
And by 'free' I actually mean 'clear' or 'empty'. Thats right. All those intelligent thoughts you have buzzing away in your head are actually getting in your way when you're trying to catch your good old beauty sleep*. Get rid of them!
(* Hoi! Did you know that your body channels more blood flow to your skin while you sleep - and that this is why your skin feels refreshed in the morning?)
You need to do less thinking - but it can be difficult to empty one's head for some reason. If you manage then you'll be drifting off to the land of zZz in no time!
If that doesn't quite work then...
Feel Thyself!
In a family-friendly way! O_o (Seriously... look at what I have to put up with...)
As such this brings us to the next stage.
Since we are having difficulty emptying our heads, it seems that we might need to put something else in instead, forcing out those pesky thoughts in the process.
Since we are trying to get rid of thoughts. Lets try replacing them with feelings instead. For those males in the readership who don't know what I am talking about, kindly consult the nearest available female for guidance.
However, we need the most appropriate kinds of feelings for this. The kind that are stable... leisurely... cool. For those females in the readership who don't know what I am talking about, kindly consult the nearest available male for guidance.
In the event that you happen to be typically clueless and cannot find less clueless members of the enemy gender, the following is what you are aiming for.
- Breathe... Feel the breath flowing in and out of your lungs.
- Feel the warmth or the cool of the air on your skin...
...or filtering through your multiple layers of clothing. - Sense every movement you make,
your connection with your body even while your eyes are closed. - Commence breathing again. And don't stop next time.
It may take a few minutes to get this right but there should come a point when you are simply aware of yourself and your immediate surroundings. Allow yourself to sense the comfort of the bed and your pillow... snuggle deeply into them... relax...
Maybe you'll drift away now, so concerned should you be in feeling rather than thinking.
But you know what? Some people simply aren't capable of quieting the gossip thats going on in their heads.
For this reason the third method exists. Its kind of the 'Only break in case of emergency' measure.
Think... Simple...
So you've failed to clear your mind and trying to get in touch with your feelings has given you an itch that won't go away.
This third method... should work.
You... are a turnip.
Be... the turnip.
The whole turnip... and nothing but the turnip... so may you sleep.
The essence of this third method is to replace those complicated troublesome thoughts with simple helpful ones.
If the turnip isn't working out for you...
Then how about a shape or a color?
Or another vegetable - like potatoes?
If you really cannot bring yourself to think very simple then the absolute beginner method follows.
Everything is Awesome!
This is even easier than the simplicity exercise. All you need to do is 'not' think about problematic thoughts and to help you to do so you invoke more pleasant memories in their place.
Traumatized by that time you got a lego stuck in your nose?
Think about cute fluffy bunnies instead.
Yes you can add rainbows and dragon wings to them...
I won't judge you.
Here! How about some "rainbow pancakes"?
Or would you prefer a slice of butterscotch cinnamon pie?
You Are Getting Very Sleepy...
Well this was a list of some mind tricks that you can try.
Each method does not need to be tried exclusively. It is perfectly alright to transition from one method to another (just try not to overdo it). I myself like to either think simple or get in touch with my feelings before moving on to clearing my mind.
Other things that you can do:
Ensure that where you sleep is not also where you work (Also not where you watch TV or browse Steemit).
Ensure that your sleeping location calms you down (What that means to you may vary from what such means to others).
Ensure comfortable noise levels - typically silence (But could include 'white noise' or soft music in a noisy area).
Recognize that any problem you face is better faced with a full night's sleep (Accept your current powerlessness & accept to 'get back to it' tomorrow).
Make peace with the other gender, whatever gender you may be (Resistance is futile).
A combination of the above - should ensure that sleeping is no longer quite so difficult a task as you once thought. It may take some practice but your sleep will improve. The humour inserted along the way is the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down.
If you had a good chuckle or found the guidance useful (its just dressed in a humorous way) and would like to share this with your friends then a resteem couldn't hurt.
If you 'didn't' like this then do give my blog a quick look over. My content tends to be a little more serious (though I seem to be going through a mild humorous streak right now). ^_^
Sweet dreams!
Sincerely,
Ahhh... deep breathing... is that what it's called now? LOL
Sometimes I wish I could sleep more but my body actually hurts if I have more than 6 hours of slumber. And then there is the energy of knowing I've got work to do - fun work - amazing work - work that actually wakes me up because I love it so much! Wait... we were talking about sleep though, weren't we?
Sudoku. That is my sleep elixir. Open Sudoku book. Stare at numbers. Brain goes into automatic shut down to save itself. Sleep happens. :D
Thank you for the comment and upvote @merej99! :c)
Breathing is kind of essential to survival. When I first heard this it was a breath of fresh air... ;c)
Of course, contracting a nasty summer cold does complicate both breathing and sleeping. It took a little bit of 'tending to my cold' before I found sufficient opportunity to sneak between the coughing/ sneezing to land myself a respectable degree of sleep. ^_^
While I haven't really had to deal with the repercussions of extended sleep I can see how sleeping in the same position can cause stiffness and pain.
Of course, thinking about "work to do - fun work - amazing work - work that actually wakes me up because I love it so much" ... runs directly opposite to both the 'Free your mind' and 'Think... simple.' strategies - and may hinder your ability to sleep. ;c)
And yes! Boring your brain to slumber 'does' work too. Its one reason why I cannot study from books. Its like my brain rolls its intellectual eyes, turns up its nose sensors and ruminatingly wishes me to 'have a good time with that'. Its quite effective. Thanks for the reminder! :cP
I may have mentioned that I'm a workaholic. I'm addicted to getting stuff done. I'm also addicted to learning. Maybe it's to compensate for the parts of my brain that don't function as well as I'd like it to. LOL
Even when I go hiking, my mind sorts through all sorts of problems, thinks about solutions and roadmaps. It calms me knowing there is a plan.
It does sound like you might be a little bit of a perfectionist. :c) This is really valuable within a working environment - and getting the most out of your waking moments - but it can get in your way when it comes to getting some good shut-eye.
You can also try the above techniques when you're sitting in a comfy position. But thats a little closer to meditation exercise. :c) So long as your lifestyle is not bothering you - then there is no problem. Just give yourself time to relax. ^_^
I was able to relax today. A big thunderstorm forced me to shut down and I snuggled with my puppy dog. It was a great nap. :)
I am glad to hear it :c)
Yes a puppy dog or a cat so inclined for snuggles are a great way to inspire a mixture of a couple things mentioned above. :c) That you managed to do this during a thunderstorm is impressive. ^_^