Wellbeing

Switch off your mind for sleep

Busy or racing minds can get in the way of a good night’s sleep and it’s not always easy to switch-off. Whether it’s tomorrow’s to-do list, worries about the day that’s just gone or the future, or our devices keeping our minds whirring late into the night. To make sure we get enough sleep, we don’t just need to turn off the lights, but also have some ways to calm our minds.

Here are some actions that can help…

• Unplug from tech – ban your phone, computer and tablet from the bedroom at night (or have a place to put them away) 
• Go old school – get a proper alarm clock (a quiet one, without lights) and read a book rather than go online. 
• Practice gratitude – when you get into bed reflect on three good things from your day, or if things are tough – what was one moment from the day that was better than the rest?
• Scrunch and release your body – It’s called progressive muscle relaxation. Start with one body part – like your left foot or hand – tense it up as hard as you can, then slowly relax it, breathing out if you can, noticing how that feels. Then do the same with the right hand or foot, then your left leg or arm and so on moving through your body parts in turn. 
• Play alphabet games – Switch your mind off by giving it something absorbing but not overly stimulating to do, like thinking of a different animal, actor, sports person or place name for each letter of the alphabet in turn from A through to Z. (It beats counting sheep!)  

What’s something you can try to help your mind switch off and sleep?