Content provided by the Health & Wellness Team at GBS Benefits
If you frequently suffer from a racing mind keeping you up at night, try the following exercises. Quiet a buzzing brain by completing six of the activities below.
- Yoga nidra. Also known as “yogic sleep,” yoga nidra is a guided meditation practice that aims to induce a state of deep relaxation and rejuvenation. Try out this 30-minute video to get started: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mM5Oks8yZc
- Breathe deeply. To help calm your mind and body before bed, set aside a few minutes for deep breathing. View a variety of techniques at https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/breathing-techniques-sleep.
- Read something calming. Put the devices away and read a book to help you relax.
- Listen to something soothing. To help prep your mind for a restful night, listen to a sleep playlist, sleep meditation, or sleep stories. Keep your device put away once you start your playlist or meditation.
- Journal. Write down all your thoughts and worries and let them go until the following day. End your journaling session by focusing on the positive. List five things you are grateful for.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m. Alcohol can initially make you feel sleepy but may interfere with sleep later. Listen to your body and do what works best for you.
- Make a to-do list. Create a list to complete the following day. Stop worrying about things you can’t control and focus on getting a good night’s sleep to help you prepare for tomorrow’s activities.
- Visualize a clean mind. Try this visualization exercise: imagine cleaning your mind from all the worries, questions, and intrusive thoughts. Sweep them away, dust the cobwebs, put things where they go, file things under “tomorrow’s to-do list,” and give everything a good scrub. Visualize doing each of these things while taking deep breaths, and allow yourself to relax through the process.
- Don’t watch the clock. Doing mental math to determine how many hours of sleep you would get if you fell asleep right away is stressful. Avoid looking at the clock and reflect on the happy or positive things in your life right now.
