I invite you to imagine this common scenario that I hear from my clients -
It’s finally time to go to bed, you are feeling exhausted, tired, and your brain is officially mush. The house is quiet, nobody needs anything and you drop into bed. Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh, the body starts to unclench. You are so ready to fall asleep.
Then it happens, your mind turns on and the worry loop kicks in.
You try deep slow breathing, counting forward and backward, basically, anything to shut off your mind, and nothing works. Ugh….
What are those worries and thoughts going through your mind keeping you awake?
Here are a few popular ones that my clients and I have experienced...can you relate?
I am so behind, how am I going to get everything done?
My list of tasks at work and home just keeps growing and I feel like I am failing at it all!
My team at work needs me, but I am in back-to-back meetings all day and I can't support them as they need or I want to be doing.
I feel like I have been missing so much with the kids' activities because of work.
Why can't anyone else in this house do laundry? For real….
I haven't paid the bills yet this month and have no idea if we are on budget or over, and the kids need school supplies, lunch money, clothes, camp money…….
This is all my fault, if I could just get organized or a schedule set up, it would get better.
I am such a horrible friend, I miss them and haven't seen them in forever.
I shouldn't have wasted time on IG, FB, Linked In, or Twitter today….what was I thinking!?
I would love to hear … what keeps you up at night? What are those thoughts and worry loops?
Hit reply and share with me or
Click here to enter it into an anonymous poll and see the results
In the meantime, here are a few tips to turn down the volume of the worry loops so you can get a few winks before the alarm goes off
Essential Oils: Diffuse lavender essential oil or put a little bit on your pillow, experiment with different scents that are calming to you.
Background Noise: Turn on a fan for white noise, or a sound machine
Music: Play calming instrumental music
Write it Down: Put a notepad next to your bed, and jot down those thoughts that are poking at you over and over that you are afraid to forget.
Guided Meditation for Sleep - YouTube, Apps like Headspace, Ten Percent Happier, Calm
Tense and Relax: Start at your feet and work up to your head or vice versa, whatever feels best to you.
You will tighten the muscles in each area for 15 seconds and then release the tension over 30 seconds while breathing nice and slow
Feet, legs, buttocks, arms & hands, neck & shoulders, jaw, forehead
Acupressure Points
Common points you can use to fall asleep faster - Click here
Breathing Techniques
Breathe in slowly saying "in" silently within your mind, breathe out and slowly say "out" silently within your mind
4-7-8 Breathing:
Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four
Hold your breath for a count of seven
Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight
Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths