If you are one of the many people who find sleep to be a daunting challenge, the very idea of bedtime and sleep can make you anxious. Just by looking at your bed you are reminded of your ongoing battle to shut your mind off and go to seep.  

In order to prepare your mind for sleep your primary goal is to calm your mind and let go of any stresses. When the very idea of bedtime makes you uneasy this is going to make that job very difficult. This is why one of the first & foremost steps to improving your sleep is by having a positive mind set around night time and sleep.

In this article I am going to go over some tips on how to make your relationship with sleep a positive one so that bedtime is not a stressful experience and you are able to rest easy. 

The first step to behaviour change according to James Clear in his book Atomic Habits is changing your perceived identity. In terms of sleep you need to convince your inner-self that you are a good sleeper regardless of how you typically sleep. 

Complaining to yourself and others that you are a poor sleeper is only going to perpetuate the issue by concreting that perceived identity as a poor sleeper in your inner psyche.

Your brain is able to change and adapt to different circumstances in your life, actual or perceived. Your brains ability to change is referred to as neuroplasticity and that is the key to understanding how affirmations in general work. When you create a clear mental image of your self doing something, like sleeping soundly through out the night, you can reprogram your subconscious mind into believing you are in fact a good sleeper. By regularly repeating statements about yourself, such as “I am a sound sleeper” you can encourage your brain to take these positive affirmations as a fact while helping yourself feel more relaxed around bedtime. 

Source: https://tommyjohn.com/blogs/news/sleep-affirmations

• My mind and my body are ready to rest. I am in my peaceful sanctuary and everything will be okay
  
• I will let every worry go. My eyes are tired, my body and I deserve a good night of rest.
  
• Stress and worries can’t control me. I will let go and be at peace. I’m deserving of a good night of sleep.  
• I am not worried about things I can’t control and can overcome any obstacle. 
• Sleep is a natural state for me & tonight i’ll enjoy a full night of sleep & will wake up recharged in mind and body.
  
• I choose sleep, rest, peace, and relaxation over stress and worry.
  
• My eyes are closing effortlessly. I’ll enjoy an undisturbed night of sleep.

Your pre-sleep routine should be not only calming but something that you thoroughly enjoy and look forward to every night. When you are deciding what  to include in your sleep routine, make sure they are activities that spark joy for you and continuously change it up as your preferences change.

A few things we love to include in our sleep routine:

Turn your lights down low or even light a few candles, play some soft music (I prefer smooth jazz) and un-wind from your day by taking a relaxing soak in a bath tub. Go all out and even make it a bubble bath. Whatever it takes to make that bath as relaxing and as enjoyable as possible. If you don't have a bath tub or prefer a shower, that can be made as equally enjoyable.

Nothing makes me sleepier than reading a chapter or two of a book. Although I typically read non-fictionI, I prefer fiction prior to bed as I find it more relaxing and a lot less stimulating. By taking your mind away from the real world and into the imaginary world of the author you are able to unwind and prepare your mind for a good nights sleep. 

An essential part of our sleep routine is having a relaxing hot beverage before bed. Our favourite is Four Sigmatic’s Mushroom Cacao with Reishi however any non-caffeinated hot beverage that sparks your fancy will work. 

Your bedroom (or sleep sanctuary as we like to call it) should be a place where you automatically feel relaxed, secure and at ease. Having a bedroom that you genuinely love to spend time in, will automatically put you in a much better headspace to find a restful night sleep.

Here are a few tips to creating the ultimate sleep sanctuary for you: 

Your bed and bedding are the most essential components of your sleep sanctuary and need to be carefully chosen to meet your preferences, both aesthetically and comfort wise.

The goal while choosing your bedding is to find items that make you genuinely excited about the very idea of getting into bed.

Your pillow, mattress, linens and blanket all need to be carefully selected based on how you prefer to sleep. If you are a hot sleeper, make sure you go for natural cooling materials such as Groundd's Eco Silk fabric used to make our sheet sets and weighted blanket cover.

For me, one of my favourite experiences that I look forward to at the end of a long day is the comforting feeling of one of lying under one of our Groundd Weighted Blankets. As soon as the weight settles around my body I instantly feel calm and at ease.

Once you begin your wind down routine it is important to avoid any bright lights. This is why it is important to organise your sleep sanctuary so that you can create calming dim lighting. If you do not have dimmers on your light switches, use lamps and/or candles to create a low light setting. 

It is difficult to be at peace in a room that is messy. By keeping your sleep sanctuary tidy & a pleasant to be in you will be creating the ideal environment to get your best nights rest in.