Sleep Like a Baby

Posted: 17 Sep 2012 07:56 AM PDT

Post written by Leo Babauta.

Problems sleeping can be a major drag on happiness %ell d#ring the da"'

i! "o# can$t sleep %ell& "o# can$t !#nction as

Toda" a reader as(ed& )* %ant to spend less time rolling in the bed& and more time sleeping' * %anna be a bab" again' +elp,* lo.e the image o! being a bab" again in m" head& it conj#res #p not onl" sleeping peace!#ll"

/tho#gh in realit" man" babies don$t0& b#t gro%ing magicall" "o#ng again& care1!ree& %itho#t the %orries that normall" plag#e #s and (eep #s #p at night' * don$t ha.e the magical pill that %ill ma(e "o# "o#ng again& b#t * can o!!er some help %ith sleep' *$.e changed m" sleeping patterns a n#mber o! times& and (no% that it can be di!!ic#lt' Sleep is a deep part o! the bod"$s rh"thms& and it$s one o! the harder habits to change' That said& it$s changeable'

Sleep Problems
2et$s ta(e a 3#ic( loo( at some o! the problems that (eep people rolling aro#nd in bed /not in the good %a"& per.ert0: Not tired yet Too tired "o#r sleeping pattern is set so that "o# #s#all" sleep later& so i! "o# go to bed

earlier& "o#$re not tired eno#gh to !all asleep' it$s possible to be so e4ha#sted that sleep is di!!ic#lt' This tends to be a problem less o!ten than )not tired eno#gh- tho#gh' Worries "o#$.e got something spinning aro#nd in "o#r head& so the sleep doesn$t come'

Sometimes it$s repla"ing something that$s happened& or things that someone said& and other times it$s %orr"ing abo#t something coming #p& or planning' Computers i! "o#$re on "o#r comp#ter /o!ten in bed0& "o# might be tired b#t ha.e a hard

time sleeping beca#se "o#r mind isn$t #n%inding' There are other iss#es& b#t *$.e !o#nd these to be the most common' 2et$s loo( at ho% to help %ith them'

Formula for Becoming a Baby

So ho% do %e sol.e the problems abo.e and become bab"1li(e in o#r sleep5 * don$t ha.e all the ans%ers& b#t here are some o! the things that ha.e %or(ed !or me:

1'

!ercise' A good hard %or(o#t or r#n& bi(e or s%im %ill get "o# nice and tired' A good "oga %or(o#t is a %onder!#l %a" to do that& as "o# learn mind!#lness at the same time' 6.en i! the %or(o#t is earl" in the da"& * o!ten go to bed %ith a tired bod"& and loo( !or%ard to the rest' Don$t %or(o#t right be!ore bed tho#gh'

2' "et up early' 7o# can get "o#r bod" to shi!t its sleeping sched#le b" slo%l" getting #p earlier' Tr" 15 min#tes earlier than normal !or a %ee(& then another 15 min#tes' *! "o# get #p earlier& "o#$ll be a bit tired d#ring the da"& and %hen it comes time to go to sleep& "o#$ll enjo" the rest' 8' stablis# a bedtime ritual' *t ta(es time to #n%ind the bod" and mind' At least an ho#r be!ore bedtime& start slo%ing do%n' T#rn o!! the comp#ter' 9loss : br#sh "o#r teeth' P#t a%a" things "o# %ere #sing in the e.ening' 2a" do%n and read a boo( /not on "o#r laptop0' This (ind o! rit#al helps establish in "o#r mind that it$s time to sleep& and "o#r bod" ta(es this c#e and begins to prepare itsel!' ;' $eep your room only for sleeping' Don$t eat& %atch T<& #se "o#r comp#ter& or do other (inds o! acti.ities in "o#r room /=>& per.& j#st one other acti.it" is =>0' >eep those acti.ities in the li.ing and dining rooms& so that %hen "o# go to bed& there$s j#st one thing to do' ?e s#re to ma(e the room dar( %hen "o# go to sleep too 5' "o#r bod" reacts to light'

Focus your attention' =nce "o#$.e done "o#r bedtime rit#al and #n%o#nd& and "o#r bod" is nice and tired& "o# need to 3#iet the mind' M" tric( !or doing that: close "o#r e"es& and .is#ali@e %hat "o# did !irst thing toda"' That might be opening "o#r e"es and getting o#t o! bed' Then .is#ali@e the second thing "o# did let$s sa" "o# peed and %ashed "o#r !ace& or dran( a glass o! %ater' Then "o# started the co!!ee b#t !irst had to grind the beans' <is#ali@e these tin" steps in detail' * ne.er get past the !irst ho#r be!ore *$m asleep'

6' C#ange slowly' ?e patient %ith sleeping changes

the" are di!!ic#lt& beca#se %hen %e are

tired& o#r mind doesn$t ha.e the discipline to stic( to changes' =#r bod" and mind %ant to do %hat the"$re #sed to doing' ?#t i! "o# change a little at a time& and !orgi.e "o#rsel! !or )messing #p- /there$s no messing #p& act#all"0& then "o# can ma(e changes' * hope this helps' * %ill admit that * don$t al%a"s sleep so#ndl" sometimes * ha.e tro#ble sleeping&

b#t %hen * #se these methods& * can #s#all" c#re the sleeping problems' Sleep is a blessing that * %ish on all m" !riends& all o! "o# incl#ded' *t$s a m#ch1needed rest that helps #s to be tr#l" a%a(e once the glorio#s ne% da" has come'