How To Fall Asleep More Easily

For some falling asleep can be a major challenge.

The following are ideas which may enhance your ability to sleep:

1. Gradually slowing down the intensity of your activities can improve your chances of falling asleep easily. By preparing for sleep with relaxation activities such as stretching, massage, Yoga, meditation, a hot bath or shower you glide into sleep much like gently landing a plane. Intense discussions, watching disturbing news broadcasts, or rushing to get chores finished may create an agitated state which is more like crashing the plane when you try to drop off to sleep.

2. Being aware of what you consume before sleep is also helpful. Heavy foods such as proteins may take up to as much as 60% of the body's energy to digest. More easily digested food such as fruits or juices are less likely to disrupt sleep. It helps to remember all the things that contain caffeine (coffee, black tea, chai, cocoa, chocolate, and some clear sodas which may keep you awake.

3. Making a spiritual connection before bedtime through prayer, meditation or imagery can be a wonderful way to end the day. An "attitude of gratitude" can create a pleasant sense of safety and calm. (You might want to avoid prayers which contain the phrase, "If I should die before I wake......" if you find this disturbing. One of my favorites is to image that I am a dolphin lazily and playfully swimming through warm waters confident that the Ocean will provide me with all I need.

4. Strategic placement of pillows can better support the body in sleep. If you sleep on you back (either a small or specially designed pillow) can maintain the cervical curve of your neck. A pillow placed under the knees allows the small of back to flatten increasing relaxation. Sleeping on your side may be enhanced by pillows placed under the head sufficiently thick enough to allow the neck to remain in-line with the spine. Pillows held between the arms and placed between the knees may allow respectively the chest and the pelvis/hips to remain open offering increased circulation of blood and energy.

5. Avoid spending time worrying about money, taking a negative inventory of your day's events, fixating on the next day's tasks etc. prior to sleep. This is the equivalent of telling a scary story to a small child right before bedtime. Trust me, you will find monsters under your bed with these activities.