My 5 steps to sleeping better

Do you struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep or still feel tired after a good night’s sleep?

Sleep, or lack of it, can be a major factor in our mental well-being and resilience.

Interrupted sleep or poor quality and shortage can all contribute to low mood and anxiety.

At a time when we need to be as resilient and buoyant to the turbulence of life, sleep quality is something that you can improve easily with a little know-how.

Read on for 5 easy to follow steps to improve your sleep

Step 1

Have a good bedtime routine.

Preferably no caffeine and alcohol (I'm a realist) minimise it at least.
Switch off from electronic devices at least an hour before bed (I'm a realist) if you can't then switch on the blue light filter.
If you are a gamer then limit your time, especially before bed and come off an hour before bed.
Have set times that you go to bed and wake up - even on weekends. Ideally no more than half an hour variance.

(Remember this is to get you back into a good routine, once you've nailed it you can relax the routine a little).

Step 2

Write down any thoughts you have that are running through your mind. As we are often very busy during the day we don't have time to process the day’s events so our minds start doing this when we go to bed - it's the first opportunity it has had!

Make a note of any tasks, chores or things you need to remember to do the next day. That way your mind won't be trying to remind you in case you forget.

Step 3

Teach your mind to FOCUS on one thing at a time. Listen to this to learn an easy technique called 321 guided meditation for the reluctant meditator.

With modern-day life requiring us to focus on multiple sensory stimuli, our minds need to practice the skill of focusing on one thing at a time.

Step 4

Try taking Magnesium 1-hour before bed (please check that you do not have any underlying health issues that may have contra-indications).

Step 5

Download and listen to my Deep and Restorative Sleep from the shop here or find a relaxation sleep audio online, you could also try meditation or binaural beats.