Sometimes it is hard to put down what we are doing and turn out the light. We are all guilty of what sleep scientists call bedtime procrastination. That is, we don’t go to bed when we know we should because there is always one more thing to do—one more email to send, one more chapter to read, one more episode to watch. You know how it goes.
As with other areas of our health, we have to be intentional about getting our sleep to the level that will serve us best. Here are a few tips for breaking the procrastination cycle and getting more shut-eye.
[bctt tweet=”We have to be intentional about getting our sleep to the level that will serve us best.” username=”nelsonsearcy”]Go to Bed Fifteen Minutes Earlier
You probably have a certain time you need to be up in the morning. Sleeping in isn’t an option. So to start getting more sleep, you have to add it to the front end of the night. In other words, you have to go to bed earlier.
Try easing into an earlier bedtime. If you suddenly start going to bed an hour before you are used to, you may find yourself staring at the ceiling until your body adjusts. Instead, go to bed fifteen minutes earlier every night for a month. The next month, go to bed fifteen minutes earlier than that. Keep backing up your bedtime by fifteen minutes each month until you are getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night.
Create a Bedtime Routine
Parents know that kids go to sleep much easier when a predictable bedtime routine is in place. Maybe it involves a bath, changing into comfy pajamas, reading a book, or playing with a favorite toy. No matter the specifics, routine helps signal kids’ bodies that sleep is coming. As adults, we usually lose this practice, but we shouldn’t.
A wind-down routine will help you transition out of your hectic day and into sleep. Don’t get too elaborate; just start doing something consistently that relaxes you and puts you in a sleepier state. Have a cup of herbal tea or read a few pages of a novel. Spend some time in quiet prayer. Do whatever helps you cross the divide from busy to bed.
[bctt tweet=”A wind-down routine will help you transition out of your hectic day and into sleep.” username=”nelsonsearcy”]– Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson
The above excerpt is from p. 135-154 of The New You: A Guide to Better Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Wellness.
With your copy of The New You, you will come away with specific strategies on how to lose weight, get more sleep, lower stress, nurture better relationships, connect with God and much more! Anyone who wants to trade in the frustration of average living and less-than health for the hallmarks of the new life God promises will find The New You an effective personal guide for the journey.
Your partner in ministry,
Nelson
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