Random musings: Sleep Better

If you haven't read parts 1 & 2 yet, click on the links at the bottom of this post.

There is only one video today and it lasts about 23 minutes.

The video talks about your pre-bed routine. There are several parts to this routine...including what time to go to bed, based on the time you need to wake up and your chronotype.

Basically...Lions and Bears need about 7 1/2 hours of sleep plus 20 minutes to fall asleep; while Wolves and Dolphins need 6 hours of sleep plus 40 minutes to fall asleep. For more info, check out this sleep calculator by Dr. Breus. Although, in simplest terms, go to bed 8 hours before you have to wake up if you're a Lion or Bear, and 7 hours for Wolves or Dolphins.

Next, he talks about how to calm your mind. I know many of us, myself included, have racing minds when we try to go to sleep. One way to calm this is with guided imagery. Here is a recording to guide you through this technique.

Another thing that will help you sleep is a power down hour. For the first 20 minutes, you'll do the things that need to be done to prepare you for morning...packing lunches, laying out clothes, gathering school or work supplies, etc. For the next 20 minutes, it's time for personal hygiene...brush your teeth, wash your face, take a shower, etc. And for the final 20 minutes, relax! Meditate, stretch, pray, do yoga, etc.

A big sleep disruptor is blue light...the light that comes from TVs, computers and smart devices. Ideally, you want to stop using those devices 90 minutes before bedtime. Or, at the very least, get some blue light blocking glasses.

Next, you can take a hot bath, or a cool, but not cold, shower. Try taking a hot bath (at least 100 degrees F) 90 minutes before bed. Or try a cool shower 30 minutes before bed. Both of these help to cool your body temperature, helping you fall asleep.

CBD oil can help you fall asleep and increases the length of deep sleep.

Write down the things you need to do tomorrow in a worry journal. If your brain knows that it doesn't have to worry about those things, it can relax. Also, try keeping a gratitude journal. Write down the things you are grateful for right before bed. A twist that many people have found to make a big difference is to send out a gratitude card before bed. Either buy a box of cards to keep by your bed or use a service like SendOutCards.

And finally, Dr. Breus laid out a sample sleep routine, starting an hour before bed do the following (using a 10:00 bedtime as an example):

9:00 - 9:15 Drink some banana tea (recipe below)
9:15 - 9:25 Write down 3 things you are grateful for and/or send a gratitude card
9:25 - 9:35 Personal hygiene
9:35 - 9:55 Meditation or rhythmic breathing
9:55 - 9:59 Eye mask, earplugs, etc

Banana tea recipe (also, check out this video):

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Dash of cinnamon to taste

Directions: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Cut off and discard the top and bottom of the banana. Cut the banana in half, leaving the banana in the peel. Place the banana with the peel in the boiling water, and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the banana. Pour the banana water into a mag. Add honey or cinnamon to taste.

Day 1
Day 2

Day 3
Day 4 - 6
Day 7 - 8
Day 9 - 10