I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights in my life — whether from anxiety or excitement, my mind is very active at night.
I even remember trying to “count sheep” when I was around 5 years old, but giving up after I’d surpassed 100 little sheepies jumping over fences to no avail.
But over the years I’ve found two other approaches that work really well for me, and I want to share them incase you too have trouble falling asleep!
1. Journal it Out
Journal out your excitement, worry, anger, or to-do lists.
It might sound really simple but it REALLY works.
I used to lay awake for hours in the dark, rehashing something in my mind until I’d finally get up and journal out whatever it was. Then I’d conk right out afterwards!
Whether you need to vent about an argument with your partner, plan a project, or simply write down everything you need to do tomorrow, it really helps to get it all out of your brain. Release that energy!
And once you get it down on paper, your mind can stop obsessing over it and finally rest.
This is actually how most of my blog posts get written (including this one), because most my ideas come to me at night and they won’t let me get a wink of sleep until I record them.
2. Focus on Your Breath
Specifically the sensations in and around your nostrils and upper lip.
This may be totally faux pas to a meditation guru…
But nothing puts me to sleep faster than meditating — hahahaha!
In all seriousness, I’m an avid meditator, or at least I was before I had Sola. (Now I don’t even have time to clip my toenails).
And while I don’t have time to practice these days, I do remember the power of focusing your attention.
Specifically, focusing your attention on the sensations in and around your nose and lip as you breathe. (This is the first step to a much larger meditation practice called Vipassana, but it’s the most important and powerful step.)
Just notice — Are the sensations soft? Tingly? Cold? Warm? Stronger in one nostril than the other?
How much can you feel?
Can you feel big sensations and little ones?
Observing the sensations of your breath will distract your mind long enough for it to lose momentum, and before you know it, fall asleep.
Does your mind start thinking again? No bother, just return to following the sensations of your breath. No judgement.
This has been working so well for me — I even used it last weekend when I spent the night in the hospital after my emergency appendectomy. It was really hard to sleep there and doing this helped center and distract my mind so it could fall asleep.
Goodnight!
I hope these two tools might help you get some extra rest!
What are your favorite tricks for falling asleep? Please share them in the comments!
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Hugs and Zzzzzz,
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