the way you go to sleep affects your sleep and the way you wake up sets the pace for your day
The other night after watching the movie – The hurt locker and eating a pizza, I got an upsetting email from a person that I know. I had opened the email right before I was about to go to sleep. Already feeling anxious and upset from the movie. The email pissed me off, angering me beyond words, and that’s the energy I went to sleep with. I tossed and turned, was in and out of sleep and had nightmares. I woke up feeling totally un rested, irritable and aggravated. A few minutes after waking (big mistake) I checked my blackberry and to find that he had written me another hurtful email that intensified all the feelings I went to bed with and woke up with. It took me until 3 pm to shake off and let go of this energy.
How you go to sleep affects your sleep and how you wake up will have an effect on your day.
Think about the way mothers, fathers or care giver transitions a child to sleep. They slowly EASE their way into it. When parents put their children to bed it’s a process, there is usually some kind of consistent bedtime ritual. The parents or caregiver might give them a bath that washes off the day, turn down the lights, play soft music or nature sounds to create a peaceful atmosphere, read them a book or two, a few kisses, hugs, I love you and sleep well.
We wouldn’t feed our children sugar or a heavy meal before bed, knowing it will keep them up (instead of their bodies resting it would be working all night to digest the food) , we wouldn’t have them watch a scary movie or the news because it would cause fear and nightmares . We gently transition our children to bed with love.
I was in a hypno birthing class the other night and the teacher said, “ Whatever we do an hour before bed stays in our subconscious and we take it to sleep with us”. Just like I did with that Email, movie and pizza.
If watching the news before bed is your nightly ritual then think about this; the news is filled with negativity and does nothing but create fear and anxiety. You bring that energy into your sleep, same thing with having an argument before bed.
When we sleep we need to relax and recharge. Its hard to relax and recharge when you are going to bed with fear, negativity and anger. This energy gets embedded in our subconscious and becomes part of our energy field.
We can literally raise our vibration by the way we go to sleep and the way we wake up in the morning! I mean come on, How AWESOME is that ???
We adults have to start putting ourselves to sleep like we would a child. With transition, nurturing and love. I am not saying don’t watch the news, all I am saying is don’t watch it right before you turn off the lights to go to sleep for the night.
. Create a positive ritual for yourself before going to sleep and waking up to start your day. Try to allow a minimum of 20 – 60 minutes to unwind or transition into your day. Remember how you go to sleep affects your sleep and how you start your day has an effect on the energy of the day.
SOME SUGGESTIONS –
Read something uplifting, positive and inspiring
Watch something cheerful
Listen to calming or relaxing music or nature sounds
Take a hot bath with soothing bath salts (lavender, chamomile, orange rose or jasmine) or a long shower; scrub your self with sea salt to remove any energy from the day or use peppermint soap to get going in the morning
Write your worries, thoughts, to do list on paper (by putting it in writing you will get it out of your body and see that its not as big as you are making it out to be in your head.
Drink warm milk or chamomile tea
Meditate
Breath work (breath in the positive breath out the negative) Example: breath in peace through nose and breath out stress thru your mouth. Keep breathing in what you need and out what you don’t
Say 5 things you were grateful for today or in your life.
Start the day off with a positive affirmation or quote
Write in your journal
Go for a walk in nature (morning)
Give yourself a few extra min in the morning to work out or do yoga
Return emails over hot tea or coffee
EXAMPLE- I start my day everyday with a cup of coffee, light candles, listen to classical music and read something healing or inspirational. At night I shower off the day scrub my self with sea salt to remove any energy I absorbed, read a fun novel or biography or write in my journal, and write 5 things that I was grateful for that day. The other night when I got that email I obviously didn’t do that (I was out of town) and look what happened!!! UGH!!
Whatever you do to create nighttime and morning ritual is totally fine. We are all unique individuals with different needs, so make it your own to fit your authentic life. Notice how much better you sleep and how much calmer your day will flow.
