SLEEP BETTER.

* Regular sleep schedule: bed-time and wake-up times (even at weekends)

* Daylight first thing in the morning (or a daylight alarm in the winter)

* Daylight exposure during the day

* No exercise too close to bedtime

* Limit blue light and stimulating media in the evenings

* Dim lights in the evening

* Create a wind-down routine: 30 mins before going to bed (reading, meditating, no phone)

* Warm shower at night helps trigger melatonin as your body cools afterwards

* Ensure the bedroom is cool (cooler than the living areas) - and dark ( use an eye mask if sensitive to light)

* Go to bed only physically and mentally tired. If you can’t fall asleep, get up again and read or listen to music. No scrolling on the phone!!

* No phones in bedroom!!!!!!!!!!!

•⁠ ⁠Try Autogenic Training

Autogenic training is a relaxation technique developed by German psychiatrist Johannes Heinrich Schultz and was first published in 1932. Since that time, it has been widely used in clinical practice and research to foster the mind’s ability to produce relaxation in the body. Autogenic means self-generating, or produced from within. This reflects the ability to self-produce a relaxed feeling of warmth and heaviness throughout the body by saying various verbal phrases aimed at encouraging a state of physical relaxation and emotional calm. It is considered a form of self-hypnosis.

Exercises are built up weekly, in sequential order, starting with relaxing the arms and legs, then later adding practice with regulating the heart and circulatory system. Relaxing the respiratory system comes next and is followed by a focus on certain organs, and then, cooling the forehead

If you'd like to try it, get comfortable, lie down, arms and legs not crossed, palms facing down. 

Here are some phrases for the whole 6 week program. They are not set it stone, don’t get stressed about remembering exact wordings.

Set 1: Heavy.  (repeat 4- 6 times or however long you want in order to feel sleepy)
• My right arm is heavy
• My left arm is heavy
• Both of my arms are heavy

• My right leg is heavy
• My left leg is heavy
• Both of my legs are heavy
• My arms and my legs are heavy

I am feeling calm. And relaxed

Week 2: Warmth

• My right arm is warm
• My left arm is warm
• Both of my arms are warm
• My right leg is warm
• My left leg is warm
• Both of my legs are warm
• My arms and my legs are warm

Week 3: A Calm Heart (will be added to warmth and heaviness of limbs)
• My arms are heavy and warm
• My legs are heavy and warm
• My arms and legs are heavy and warm
• I feel calm
• My heart feels warm and pleasant
• My heartbeat is calm and regular

Week 4: Breathing
• My arms are heavy and warm
• My legs are heavy and warm
• My arms and legs are heavy and warm
• I feel calm
• My heartbeat is calm and regular
• My breathing breathes me

Week 5: Stomach
• My arms are heavy and warm
• My legs are heavy and warm
• My arms and legs are heavy and warm
• I feel calm
• My heart feels calm and regular
• My breathing breathes me
• My stomach is soft and warm

Week 6: Cool Forehead
• My arms are heavy and warm
• My legs are heavy and warm
• My arms and legs are heavy and warm
• I feel calm
• My heartbeat is calm and regular
• My breathing breathes me
• My stomach is soft and warm

My forehead feels nice and cool.