Life is full of stimulation and demands and stress levels are peaking intensely more often. This is partly due to the high use of technology and the dependence on caffeine just to get as much done in a day as possible. This overstimulation and the lack of rest is affecting our ability to feel rejuvenated even after a “good night sleep,” ie. sleeping 7 hours. Our nights are riddled with mental processing and dreams that keep the nervous system active and leaving us feeling as if we have been working all night. 

Not everyone gets home by 6pm to prepare a healthy meal and sit down with their loved ones to talk about their day. Never mind fitting yoga or exercise in. Many of us are so exhausted we can barely muster the strength to brush our teeth and change into pyjamas before dropping into bed.

What does it take to truly feel rested and have an abundance of energy for the next day?

You know those unnecessary thoughts and concerns swirling around in our minds aimlessly?  They take up a lot of energy.  By weeding out unhelpful thoughts and only thinking thoughts worthy of our attention, we’ll become more focused and centered helping us to prioritize our tasks and give our energy to what really matters. 

A lot more can get done in a day when we are present in each moment. Only do what the moment calls for rather than trying to do it all at once. Not only does this approach preserve the nervous system but it kept us less stimulated and stressed. Stress is the number one reason we have sleepless nights. 

All this is possible, but you’ll want to adopt these following rituals to help prepare you for a solid night’s sleep.

1.About an hour before bedtime, which should be consistently observed for the best sleep, sit for a few moments sipping on hot water and lemon. That way you hydrate, bring your body back into an alkaline state (to feel balanced) and have a moment to yourself. Read this for more information.

2. Ask yourself, what absolutely has to be done before you retire for the night, like taking out the trash or washing the dishes. With the right mind set you can find strength to do things you really don’t think you can or want to. Make yourself and you’ll feel so good for having done them which leads to a peaceful feeling that helps you sleep better.

3. Avoid turning on the tv or looking at the phone or computer within an hour of bedtime. The blue light disturbs the melatonin production in the Pineal gland which gives us that rejuvenated, happy feeling when we wake. It is healthy for us to be in dimmer light for a couple of hours before we go sleep.

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4. Disconnect from the WIFI. The EMF’s are enough to grow tumors let alone disturb your sleep. Keep your phone at least 4 feet from your head. And do the same with your computers. You can still receive and hear calls and texts with your phone on vibrate. And the alarm sound still works when you turn off your volume. For more info visit this or this link.    

5. Giving yourself a few moments to journal your thoughts can be very helpful to get your greatest concerns out on paper. It always helps to see them and acknowledge what troubles you. It somehow gives us a proactive feeling about our concerns and prepares us to find solutions, even though they may not come immediately, know you have set them in motion and they are on their way to resolution. And besides, hand writing is therapeutic.

6. Wash the day off. Take a hot, salt bath and cleanse yourself from all the energy you picked up from your environment and others. I like lighting a candle and focusing on the flame to help me relax my eyes and get into a meditative state. And studies show that a hot bath not only relaxes you but it also burns as much calories as 30 min walk. Read it for yourself.

Of course brushing your teeth really ought to be a part of the bedtime routine too. Try humming a calming tune to make sure you don’t rush the job.

7. Once out of the bath, oil your body up with an oil that is best suited for you, do this test to find out.

Not only is this practice very calming and grounding but it is helpful for lymph drainage too. Organic Coconut, grape seed, sesame or almond oil are good oils and easy to find. You can use heavier oils such as almond oil in the winter and lighter oils like coconut oil when it’s hot out. You can also add essential oils such as lavender to calm your senses, preparing you for sleep. Make sure to make several, long, firm oval strokes over the limbs and circular motions with some pressure everywhere else to move the lymph and help the skin to absorb the oil. 

8. Let your skin breathe for a while and avoid dressing immediately if possible. Spending time in the raw is actually healthy for you psychologically and is naturally grounding. It keeps us in touch with ourselves and reminds us that we are human, not machines. You can google “benefits of being in the nude.” or visit.

9. Practice deep breathing for 5-10 minutes. You can do this seated with your spine tall or while lying down, but stay awake and aware during the practice. Breathe all the way down into the bottom of your lungs, where your ribs and belly meet. Let the belly move outward as you inhale. Exhale slowly and completely. Regular practice teaches your lungs to take in more air and then they’ll remember how when you forget to. 

So now you have an abundance of oxygen in your blood stream and your cells are being fed, satisfying them as well as calming your nerves and mind activity.  Peace in the body leads to peace in the mind and vice versa, all of which leads to a good, long, deep sleep.

10. Now you are ready to meditate. Give yourself at least 15 minutes. There are many ways to get into a meditative state. Think of a young child with that dreamy yet connected to goodness glow in their eyes. Or an animal as they lay gazing upward at nothing. Meditation is natural but us humans prefer busyness and distraction so we have forgotten how. If we could return to a state of trusting rather than worrying, we can find that peaceful, meditative state. 

All you have to do is sit, dwell in the space between your thoughts and be!

More on how to meditate here.

All these practices will help you feel more in control of your life and this leads to more peaceful feelings. Peaceful feelings create peaceful thoughts, harmonious systems functioning in the body life and a good night’s sleep.