Difficulty sleeping?

Tips on getting to sleep

Good sleep is vital for emotional health and immune health. Health Direct list 10 great tips for getting to sleep so if you are struggling to sleep click the link and try their tips. The tip I want to discuss here is their Number 4 -

4. Relax before bed

Find a relaxation technique that works for you. Try to establish a buffer zone before bedtime where you’re not trying to solve any problems or thinking about tomorrow, but just relaxing and preparing for bed. Try to avoid using your computer and smartphone during the bedtime buffer zone.

The relaxation technique I recommend is The Bodyscan Mindfulness Meditation. This is not a complicated meditation requiring you to have advanced meditation skills. All you need to do is to lie down, listen and quietly and slowly move your attention from your toes up through your body to the top of your head. There is evidence that this meditation helps people get to sleep and that it reduces anxiety and also that it reduces pain in conditions like Fibromylagia, arthritis or chronic lower back pain. High levels of anxiety or chronic pain make it practically impossible to sleep so this meditation is a real winner. The Bodyscan lasts 34 minutes but if you do not have the time for that there are shorter meditations lasting just 8 minutes you can begin with and all can be download for free from The Australian Institute of Applied Mindfulness

Remember not to look at a phone or computer screen to search anxiety provoking News Headlines after your meditation. Relax and go straight to sleep.

Sweet dreams!

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