Give your mind and body the chance to properly unwind before bed by calming your thoughts and creating a routine that signals it’s time to sleep. Start with these four simple sleep practices to help your restless mind relax and prepare for a more restful night.

1. Adopt a bedtime routine.  If you have a restless mind, getting into bed does not equal falling asleep. Start your process an hour before you get into bed and work your way towards the moment you lay down; turn off electronic devices, start turning off the lights throughout the house, take time washing your face and brushing your teeth. Even do a few slow stretches to ease your limbs into relaxation.
2. Cool down. Part of the body’s process for falling asleep involves lowering the body’s temperature. The technical explanation around this is that the metabolism of your brain’s frontal cortex wants to be cool when falling asleep. Did you know your body actually loses its ability to regulate its temperature at night, so finding the right balance before you climb into bed is important.
3. Invest in red light and avoid blue light. The short-wavelength blue light literally stops the production of melatonin (the hormone necessary for sleep) whereas red light will allow your melatonin levels to operate at an optimal level for sleep. In a world of laptops and cellphones, cutting off your exposure to blue is probably the most effective and impactful way you can improve your sleeping patterns. 
4. Practice breathing through your left nostril. It’s a simple exercise: cover your right nostril and breathe deeply in and out of your left nostril 10 times. This practice is said to help relax your sympathetic nervous system. The mental meditation around simply focusing on the task of breathing can help keep your mind from wandering too. 

Content by Faithful to Nature. 

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