The healings I have been doing throughout the Covid 19 pandemic many people have been having a lot of trouble sleeping. This is something I know a lot about because most of my life I have had trouble sleeping and have done extensive research and tried just about everything at some point in my life. Some things work and most things don't. I could go on for pages about what NOT to do. Instead, I will just talk about what to do and why. The simple scientifically proven things that work for me are:
- having and sticking to a bedtime routine, such as going to bed at the same time
- turning off screens 30-60 minutes before bed – the blue light from tv and screens stimulate the brain
- reading for a while
- relaxing aromas such a Frankincense, Jasmin, Rose, Camomile, Lavender
- relaxing music played at 432 hz..creates theta and delta brainwave patterns in your brain
- reflection
- gratitude
- meditation
There are even certain foods you can eat which will help you sleep.
In this article we will cover, all be it briefly, why sleep is so important, and the benefits of reflection, gratitude and meditation on sleep as well as some misconceptions. I am focusing on these three because any or all of them will help you create a healthier and happier life and combining them is just so easy.
However, for a quick fix during the day whenever you are feeling stressed or worried, take the time for just a few seconds, to notice something good in your life and just say silently to yourself “thank you, thank you, thank you”, and notice how you relax, leaving you more hopeful and at peace with yourself. The more you repeat it the more you will relax.
First why is sleep so important?
Sleep is essential to our physical and emotional health and the benefits of a good nights’ sleep can never be underestimated. When we sleep our body slows down and starts repairing itself and strengthening our immune system which is why, when we are ill, we usually feel very tired and sleep a lot more. Our heart rate and breathing slows and the body can focus on repairing itself. Physically prolonged sleep deprivation has been linked to heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, as well as increase change of stroke. There are numerous studies into sleep deprivation one of which even says those who do not sleep much can be prone to obesity. So, if you want to lose weight make sure you get plenty of sleep. A good nights’ sleep improves concentration, and leaves you feeling energised and less stressed. You wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for the day.
Most people who have trouble sleeping will tell you it’s because they can’t turn their brain off. They just can’t stop thinking. Their mind goes round and round thinking. Sometimes worrying, sometimes just on nonconsequential rubbish. But calming and slowing down the brain is important to a good nights’ sleep. When we sleep our brains start to process our day and if we have been extra busy and rushing around as most of us do nowadays then our brain is very active doing this processing rather than resting and focusing or repairing our estimated 70 trillion cells. Hence if we make the time to reflect on our day before sleeping that part of the brain’s work will already be done.
Sleep is also essential for our emotional health. If we sleep badly, we often wake up, irritable, short-tempered and much more vulnerable to stressful situations. In fact, lack of sleep makes us easier to anger and more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. We tend to worry more and often suffer feelings of guilt and can seek to withdrawer from social situations or family and friends.
How can Reflection Help?
One thing everyone who has ever had trouble sleeping will tell you is that “trying” to go to sleep doesn’t work and just makes things worse. By reflecting on your day prior to going to sleep you have given your brain a chance not only to sort it out and file the memories away you also have the chance to make your lists of things you haven’t done, write down your worries, make contingency plans, and work things through to see how you can achieve more positive outcomes. Thus, the brain does not have any of those things to worry about whilst you are sleeping.
Gratitude
There has been so much written about gratitude in recent years it has become the “in thing” but it has been around for a very long time. “Counting your blessings” is often thought of originating with the hymn by Johnson Oatman Jr., in1897 but in ancient Jewish tradition your aim is to find 100 blessings a day. So being grateful is not a new idea it’s been practiced in all religions and cultures for centuries.
I have talked many times about how what you think about, affects how you feel, and how you feel affects your health and wellbeing. Gratitude is a point in fact. As you think about something you are grateful for, even if it is something simple such as the sun on your face, or your thumb which allows you to hold things easily, you smile which releases happy endorphins in your body and you immediately start to relax and feel happier which reduces stress.
Whether you are thinking about something you are being grateful for today or remembering something in the past it has the same effect. So being grateful reduces stress and makes you feel good which relaxes you to help you sleep. Even simply repeating the phrase “thank you” three times will have an effect. If you try it as a mantra you it can often release all sorts of mental and emotional images for healing.
Meditation
Again, science has proven multiple benefits of meditation such as it:
Reduces stress and anxiety
Promotes emotional health
Enhances self-awareness
Improves concentration
Generate kindness
It may even fight addictions.
In the brain it shows people who meditate regularly are not only happier and healthier they have more “grey brain matter” which leads to more positive emotions, longer-lasting emotional stability and heightened focus during daily life.
Meditation is no longer seen as a religious practice or new age fad. It’s used by people in all walks of life include executives, health professionals, teachers, celebrities, soldiers, athletes and even politicians and many scientific studies have been carried out all over the world.
There are a lot of misconceptions about meditation, what it is and what it isn’t, as well as all the different forms of meditation. There is no right or wrong way to meditate nor do you have to sit under a pyramid and stare at a candle. Whether you meditate for 2 minutes or 2 hours is not important. It is doing it that makes the difference. Whether you focus on your breathing, a flower, how you feel, a sound, or counting sheep, whatever method or object you chose it helps you relax and benefits you physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. If you are new to meditation, I highly recommend the app Balance. As an experienced meditator I decided to go back to basics, and this is one of the best apps I tried.
Therefore, by combining all four methods in one you are giving yourself four times the opportunity of getting a good nights’ sleep and benefiting from each of them individually as well as collectively. Use a Jasmin or Rose hand cream before bed and you have five.
The meditation guides you through the process of reflecting and gratitude whilst listening to relaxing music to help you feel good about yourself and to give thanks for all the little things you have rather than focussing on what you haven’t. It is so easy to think about what is so called “wrong” in your life, especially now in 2020, Gratitude, thinking about the good things is much more rewarding leaving you feeling happy and confident in yourself. Reflecting on your day gives your brain a chance to sort things through and aids a much better nights’ sleep. Meditation calms the mind and prepares you for a good nights’ sleep leaving you refreshed and energies when you wake. See here to download this free meditation.
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Gratitude Meditation – Meditation, gratitude, reflection and 432 hz music are scientifically proven to aid a good nights’ sleep and this meditation combines all of them because this is your time to help you feel good about you and to give thanks for all the little things you have rather than focussing on what you haven’t. It’s so easy to think about what is so called “wrong” in your life, especially now with Covid 19, but thinking about good things is much more rewarding, releasing positive endorphins into your body leaving you feeling happy and confident in yourself. Reflecting on your day gives your brain a chance to sort things through and aids a much better nights’ sleep. Meditation calms the mind and prepares you for a good nights’ sleep leaving you refreshed and energized when you wake.
When busy and stressed during day making time for just a few seconds, noticing something good in your life and just repeating thank you, thank you, thank you, will relax you leaving you more hopeful and at peace with yourself.
Give yourself a couple of minutes to focus on your breathing and to settle and to let the worries of the day dissipate. Take three deep breathes and allow your body to relax into the comfort of your bed and with each out breathe you feel your body becoming more and more relaxed.
Relax and begin to focus on your day. When you got up in the morning. How did you feel? relaxed, refreshed, or worried and stressed.
Slowly Start to go through your day, from first thing in the morning, the comfortable bed you awoke in, your breakfast, the cloths in your wardrobe, what you chose to wear today. The noise made by your family if you have one or the silence. Take your time. Your mind will probably dart around to the things that most stand out for you and that's fine. Just notice and return to what happened next.
As you get ready for your day, the things you have planned or the fact you have a whole day in which you can do whatever you wish. What did you choose to do? There are things we need to do and others we choose to do, be grateful for them all and for having the choice.
Did you go to work, if so how did you get there, was there anything unusual about your journey?
What else happened this morning? Did everything go according to plan?
What did you have for lunch?
How was your afternoon and evening?
Did you find yourself worrying about anything today? If so. is there any action you can take? Did you make continency plans or could you tomorrow. What positive outcomes might there be?
What was the highlight of your day today?
Was the sun shining, did you go for a walk? Or did you stay in the warm out of the rain? What are the little things in life you are grateful for? Did someone make you smile today, or did you bring a ray of sunshine to someone else’s life with a smile or a joke.
Think about all your positive qualities, the loving acts of kindness you have done in your life. Whether others notice or not is irrelevant, they are positive aspects of yourself. Remember times you felt loved and loving. Remember times when you have felt compassion. Remember when you have overcome obstacles and look back and see what you have achieved today and in your life.
Think about your favourite place, the memories of the good things and be grateful for each and everyone. Be grateful for those whom you support and those who support you. Be grateful for the life you have. The fact that you can hear the birds sing, you can watch a sunset, you can walk, run, laugh, speak. However tough life might be there is always something, however small, you can focus on and be grateful for.
Take as long as you wish, after all you are a divine being having an experience of a human lifetime. You are here to experience and be happy. What makes you happy? Notice and make a commitment to yourself to do a bit more of it each day. The seeds of joy are within you so plant a few and nurture them. Spend as much time as you wish feeling grateful. Thanking your God, yourself, your friends, family, acquaintances and strangers. You never know that smile you gave someone today may have given them strength and purpose whilst the smile given to you today can do the same for you, even when you smile at yourself and perhaps some of the things you have done today.
Good or bad, tomorrow is another day. The sun has gone or will go down today, and it will come up tomorrow, whether you can see it or not, it is always there, as are those good qualities within you, ready and waiting, to bring joy and comfort. You don’t have to be superman, woman, mother, child, friend, boss, or employee, all you need to do is be you and to be grateful for who you are.
J
ust say to yourself “Thank you for my” and list some of the things you are grateful for today.
Thank you for my
Thank you for my
Perhaps you might like to say a few phrases to yourself such as
I am happy,
I am joyful
Or anything else
Take as long as you like and then just listen to the music and drift gently off to sleep.
Link to Jessie Lui's 432hz harp music - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jessie+lui+harp
Links to articles used in this article
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important
https://eocinstitute.org/meditation/meditation-and-happiness-why-meditation-makes-you-so-happy/
https://positivepsychology.com/10-reasons-why-people-dont-meditate/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/archive?search=meditation
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/archive?search=reflection&op=
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/archive?search=gratitude&op=
https://www.sheldrake.org/component/finder/search?q=meditation&Search=