Lifestyle & Sleep

Let’s face it - life today can be hectic, whether we’re working, taking care of our families, socialising or trying to juggle all three. The potential for stress seems to be everywhere - even at home. It’s no wonder many of us find it hard to relax and get to sleep when we’re constantly on the go.

Creating a lifestyle that’s conducive to good sleep doesn’t have to be boring or mean you have to fit less into your life. You simply need to find a way to accommodate your mind and body’s need to wind down. That means exploring relaxation techniques and using them when you feel things getting on top of you and before you try to sleep.

Here are several simple exercises that you can do to relieve day to day pressures. They can be done anytime, anywhere and as often as needed:

Counting - this can be done when trying to drop off.

Close your eyes and let your body go limp.

Count slowly from 100 down to 0, visualising the numbers being written slowly and carefully.

See them in a downward progression, as if each number were standing one step lower on a staircase.

Feel the relaxation spread through every muscle as you see the numbers.

Or pretend that you’re slowly and carefully writing each number across a giant sky.

Continue until you feel totally relaxed.

Visualisation - great for trying to de-stress.

Think of a pleasant and restful scene, this can be anywhere or anything such as:

• A white snow scene with flakes softly falling over rooftops and fields.
• A countryside scene with pleasant green and blue hues and animals grazing contentedly along a meadow.
• A beach scene with you at the centre lying in the warm sun.

Try and experience the scene as well as see it, whether it’s the feel of the sand between your toes, the sound of birdsong or the smell of the fresh air.

If trying to imagine the details distracts you, don’t worry about them; just focus on the scene as a whole.

Floating

The feeling of floating is closely associated with being completely relaxed.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself floating on a cloud, or on an inflatable, upon a warm, gentle sea.

Let go and feel yourself drifting gently.

Top up your feel-good factor

It’s important to balance the pressures of life with pure relaxation - it keeps us happy and can enable better sleep.

No matter how busy you are, create some “ME” time for yourself each week. Take the time to ask yourself what you really like doing - or would like to try out. Then make the effort to do it. The point is to cut yourself off from the stresses of your everyday life.

• Enjoy a weekly spa treatment - that goes for the guys as well - indulge in a bit of pampering and book yourself a massage or reflexology treatment if you can afford it.
• Learn something new - join a class and learn a new skill. It may be something you’ve been meaning to do for ages, whether it’s ballroom dancing or learning a foreign language. The satisfaction of learning boosts your mood and self image and ultimately helps you to de-stress.
• Take up gardening, or meditation, or hang gliding or… there’s something out there that’ll free your mind, all you need to do is find it.
• Play games - dust off some puzzles and board games and give the kids (or your partner) a run for their money.
• Curl up on the sofa - with a soft blanket, a good book or a great movie.
• Run a bath - add some oils, light the candles, turn off the phone, close your eyes and drift away.