When we go to sleep and we are still alert, tense, anxious, defensive, it can take hours to fall asleep. And even then, once you do, the rest is not deep. Even though your body is "asleep," your mind is still spinning.
When fatigue accumulates, what at any other time would be a much simpler situation to handle, ends up becoming a cause of discomfort, apathy, irritability, anxiety, lack of focus, unproductiveness. Add it up for a few months and that diagnosis ends up in burnout.
How do we calm our minds and relax our bodies when we go to sleep?
Here are 3 tips for you to try:
1.- Delegate your tasks at night.
What do I mean by this? - Chances are that when you go to bed, you haven't finished putting your head on the pillow when you're already thinking about what you have to do the next day. When this happens, delegate those tasks to your future self.
Literally, visualize yourself working the next day and "hand over" the responsibility for the pending and problems in your mind. "This, this and this is his turn. It's my turn to rest."
2.- Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
As the saying goes, "if you control your breath, you control your brain." Inhale for 8 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds. Do this over and over again, until you feel relaxed and your mind is calm.
When we are in a state of alertness - anxious, worried, tense, irritated - our breathing is much faster.
If we change our breathing to a much more leisurely one, the body - and consequently, our thoughts and emotions - interpret that we can relax and that "being alert" is no longer necessary.
3.- Do not "force" sleep.
That "I have to sleep, I have to sleep" that pops into your mind every time you look at the clock and count how many hours of sleep you have left, just makes you more tense.
What we are looking for is relaxation. Wait quietly to fall asleep. If a long time passes and you do not fall asleep, get up, drink a glass of warm water, read a little, and go back to bed.
Don't pressure yourself, go with yourself.
