If you struggle with insomnia or poor quality sleep, these simple changes to your daily routine will promote true deep sleep.
Eat within 30 minutes of waking up
Breakfast is important if your nervous system is in survival mode when you wake up. Even a small breakfast, like eight almonds, can be enough to kick-start your metabolism and stabilize your blood sugar levels to switch your body into safety mode.
Avoid caffeine after 3 PM
Caffeine mimics the effect of adrenaline. It keeps you wired and stuck in survival mode, which switches off the peripheral nervous system and sleep system. The half-life of caffeine is 5 hours, so youâll be ready for bed starting at 8 PM.
Take a tech break every 90 minutes
This allows your nervous system to settle and sit still â enabling the brain to engage in vital mental processing to help you sleep deeply at night, because there's less filing work for the brain to do.
Stand up every hour
Getting up and moving every hour promotes sleepiness and melatonin - stand with your feet hip-width apart. Engage your stomach muscles, stand tall, roll your shoulders down and back and breathe deeply.
There will always be unfinished business
Write a list before you leave work or, at least, before you get into bed. Don't carry it in your head all night because this is what will awaken you in a state of panic and worry at 2am. Write about the problem in a journal to release it from your mind.
Turn yaâ clock away
Donât obsess over time and how much sleep youâre getting â turn your clock away and donât check it.
Find your peace
Wind down between 9PM-9:30PM and avoid technology, over-stimulation or watching the news. Aim to enter a 'safety zone', to feel peaceful, calm and in a receptive state to receive deep sleep.
If you can do these tips for days per week you will really start to notice a difference in your health and energy levels.