How to get to sleep: 4 tricks to stop your mind racing
4 tricks to stop your mind racing & get a great night's sleep everynight
Four sneaky tricks you can use to stop overthinking and get to sleep.
At night when I know I should be sleeping, my mind wants is to do all the thinking. My mind goes on a spin as I chase ideas and thoughts down rabbit holes.
You've probably heard the 'make a list' line. Just make a list of everything that you think of and then your mind will be at peace... For me, that leads me to being awake for hours, trying to solve problems or following the tangent one list started that led to another list... & another.
One of the things that then stresses me out (and keeps me awake longer) is the annoyance that I still wasn't asleep.
I couldn't get to sleep because I was stressed about not being asleep.
Not anymore!
Using these four tricks, I no longer stress about sleep. I can easily relax and get to sleep quickly pretty much every night.
When I discovered these handy tricks, I found I was able to get to sleep much quicker. The babble in my head can't compete with these tricks.
Also, because I didn't feel stressed about falling asleep, it was easier to fall asleep. Test them out and let me know how they work for you.
1. REPLACE THE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD... WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S
I have found it a massive relief to use audio as a way to rest my eyes and melt away into sleep.
LIBRIVOX
Librivox is an amazing organisation where volunteers read and record classic texts in the public domain (a.k.a. the period of copyright protection has expired) or the author has decided to record and give away the content for free.
Librivox logo
Some recordings are made by dedicated but amateur volunteers (think echoes and twangy American accents) however some recordings are so good, you'll feel guilty you got it for free (but you can always donate or volunteer to be a reader).
The Android Librivox App
I use the Android app which has a timer so you can set the recording to turn off at the end of the chapter or after a certain time. Some of my favourite Librivox readers are below with links to the stories I have enjoyed and the readers' profiles.
Mil Nicholson has a gorgeous British accent (and in her non-Librivox time, seems to write & narrate some pretty racy romance novels).
Bleak House by Charles Dickens (Don't let the name fool you, this is a story filled with love and amusing characters).
Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens ( This one really got me in the feels. You may feel frustrated with Little Dorrit for her kindness but you're behind her all the way).
Anything read by Bob Neufeld is incredible. His voice is deep, American, and husky. He infuses each reading with dynamic pacing so it's not just words on a page, it's a story. Some good bedtime books narrated by Bob:
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
KayRay is a great, prolific reader. Her voice is smiling, relaxed and American. Some of the delightful stories she's read include:
Grammar-Land by M. L. Nesbitt (a super cute way to learn more about English grammar)
Poems Every Child should know edited by Mary E Burt (everything from the full version of Twinkle Twinkle, the real Scottish version of Wee Willie Winkie, and the Edgar Alan Poe classic The Raven)
Our Island Story, Part 1 by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall (a very engaging retelling of the myths and legends of England right back from the mythical times of Albion)
@KayRay loves to read & knit :D
David is somewhat of a Sherlock specialist. He does different accents excellently and his British tones capture Sherlock's dry humor perfectly.
The ENTIRE Sherlock Holmes series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (read by David Clarke)
Scott Sigler deserves a mention here for several reasons. Not only does he write amazing science fiction / action stories, Scott has been providing a massive amount of audiobook content for free for a long time.
Scott is an extremely engaging narrator. His stories are definitely a cure for being bored when you can't get sleep. The downside is they are very action packed & tense. Instead of drifting off to sleep, I realised my shoulders were tensed up & I just had to stay up for one more chapter.... Six chapters later.... So, listen responsibly! I had to banish Sigler stories to hours when I want to be awake... & on the edge of my seat.
https://twitter.com/scottsigler?lang=en
PODCASTS
Build a playlist in your chosen podcast app (I use the Android version of
Podcast Addict) of these positive affirmation based meditations and you'll be blissing out to sleepyland in no time.
My Thought Coach by Stin Hansen
Meditation Minis by Chel Hamilton (on iTunes, on AudioBoom, on SoundCloud)
Chel Hamilton's podcast Medition Minis receives excellent reviews
2. CREATE A ROUTINE (& CHECKLIST IT)
Creating a routine around my haphazard mental to-do list allowed me to knock off everything from my mind and get my body ready to snooze. Setting up a ritual / routine / habit (I like routine, so that's what I'll use but you can call it what you will) of all your pre-bedtime tasks can really help prepare your mind and body gently for sleep.
It helps my racing mind feel certain I've done everything I need to get done for the next day. No more lying in bed thinking I should have made lunch, I didn't moisturise, did I pack that thing I need for work... on and on.
TOOLS FOR BUILDING ROUTINES
You could just use a pen and paper to write out your routine, but we are living in the world of apps and this is Checklist Legal after all. So here are some of my favourite applications for checklist-ing and managing routines.
Evernote
Evernote is a fast, sturdy, and flexible note taking application. It's my choice for general note taking. Easy for you to build your routine on your desktop (Desktop app or browser versions) and bring it up on your chosen app (Android or iOS)
Nozbe
Nozbe is my choice for task management. Again it is very sturdy with desktop, website, and app versions that all sync super quickly.The premium version lets you save and share template checklists \^_^/
Here is copy of my nightly routine via Nozbe in a checklist template.
Nightly routine (Nozbe checklist)
The Fabulous logo
Not only does this app already have a lot of the good habits you are likely trying to build into your night routine (e.g. floss, stretch, drink water) so you can automatically add them to a routine. There is also a feature with lots of mini-challenges with "psychologically proven techniques to help you get a better nights' sleep".Other great features include stretching routines, yoga poses and meditations built into the app itself. Only available for Android.
*UPDATE - Sadly there may be changes from the free model of this app to a subscription model -_-
Nozbe template checklist
Have a look at my nightly routine (Nozbe checklist)
GETTING ROUTINES TO STICK
I love listening to the Productivity Show, apodcast by the Asian Efficiency team. These guys are great at helping make routines stick. Asian Efficiency calls them rituals (don't let them hear you calling it a habit - not sure how Steven Covey feels about that...).
Asian Efficiency are experts in productivity & rituals (aka routines)
Asian Efficiency has some great content available on making your routines consistent:
Habits don't work (why you need a ritual)
7 rituals of highly successful people
Podcast episode: Making rituals stickwith Nabill Idrisi
Podcast episode: The difference between habits and rituals
Podcast episode: Rituals over Habits
3. STRETCH YOURSELF
One thing I built into this nightly routine is a good dose of pre-bed stretching. Now, I'm not going to go into the science of stretching for athletic pursuits and the intriguing scientific articles which seem to contradict each other
... if you want to look into it...
Quite a stretch by Paul Ingraham ~ Looks at the science of stretching and outlines stretching isn’t doing much of what people hope
Stretching vs Non Stretching by Phil Maffetone - A passionate rant backed up by sources.
Current concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation by Phil Page - Phil has written extensively in this area and has an excellent writing style, despite the technical scientific and Latin terms that are needed.
LifeHacker on Why stretching is just as important as exercise - here even LifeHacker say to lay off stretching before you are warmed up
We are talking about stretching before bed here so it's all about comfort and increasing the range of movement for relaxation. Remember, this is not medical advice & I am not a doctor/physio/psychic so if you have issues, talk to one of those for help. If you work in an office, it's pretty likely that you are sitting down a LOT. This can really be tough on your lower back and glutes. If your work is physical it's likely you have sore parts that would love a nice stretch too!
Factors contributing to muscle tension
I used to roll around when I went to bed because I wasn't comfortable. I couldn't seem to lie in the same position for longer than a few minutes because I was sore and tense.
A few simple stretches just before I go to bed really seems to make a big difference. Stretching at night helps me to ease the tension built up in my muscles over the day.
Best bum stretches for a good night's sleep from Upright Health
Once you add stretching into a pre-bed routine, it can help slow your mind and prepare it for sleep because your body knows that stretching = relaxation which = sleeeeeeeeeeep.
STRETCHES FOR OFFICE BUM & CYCLIST'S SADDLE
The best bum stretches for a good night's sleep from Upright Health
Willow Ryan's short easy guide for saving your office bum: The Do it All Exercise to Go From Dead Butt to Active Arse
An easy to follow whole body stretching routine from SportsScience.co
Checklist: My nightly routine (including stretching)
4. AN EYEMASK
Little blinking laptop lights, phone notifications, security lights coming on, housemates getting home or leaving... all these little light changes would wake me up.I started using an eyemask and haven't looked back :D
Any type of eyemask will do. At first I just used a crappy airline one I had lying around. There are lots of eye mask options... some of them pretty full on with moulding and other features. I upgraded to this fancy one by Slip (yes, I was probably fooled by all the Instagram marketing spin) but it feels amazing on and I love it.
Instafamous - Slip Beauty Sleep Mask
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Do you have any cures for insomnia or a racing mind? And I am always keen to hear your amazing Librivox or podcast recommendations. Let me know!
THE RESOURCE CHECKLIST
Donate to Librivox
Android Librivox App
My Thought Coach by Stin Hansen
Evernote
Nozbe
SportsScience.co
Checklist: My nightly routine (including stretching)
