By Esther Cohen

Oh! The pleasure of a good night's sleep after a busy, hectic day…

Some people look at their pillows and are off to ‘La, La land’, automatically forgetting about the stresses and excitements of the day. For others the moment their brain tells them it is time to sleep, they start processing and dissecting each moment of the last 16 hours or so. A night-time overactive mind and insomnia often go hand in hand and are much more common than people realise.

If you are anything like me, closing your eyes to sleep may signal the beginning of a reflective process, reliving the stimuli or stresses of the day. It may include remembering the unfinished ‘to do’ list, rehearsing difficult conversations that will never take place, or reflecting on great or bad decisions. All of these keep our minds switched on and engaged long after exhaustion hits.

To master sleep, one can train the thinking brain and limbic system to put aside or to let go of what is playing up in the mind, even if there is unfinished business or it is not all pleasant. By looking at the day’s events with gratitude and without judgement, we give ourselves permission to put our thoughts to rest for the night. No blame, no ‘what if’, no ‘should have’. It really helps to mentally picture ourselves filing away any business to be continued and letting go of what has been dealt with.

If you still cannot fall asleep, don’t panic.

Over time, the practice of letting go will turn into a habit. Be kind to yourself and stop looking at the clock. Create a bedtime routine that will tell your brain that it is ok to rest. If you can’t sleep today, eventually you will. It is OK to feel like a temporary zombie. If thoughts are disturbing you, distract yourself but not with your phone. Scientific evidence says it doesn’t work. I tried. It is true. It doesn’t work! Mentally, picture yourself leaving your worries and thoughts outside your bedroom and locking the door on them.

… then breathe, imagine yourself enjoying your safe space and breathe, smile, breathe, breathe…  

Good Night!