As the day draws to a close and the prospect of resting tired limbs in a comfy bed beckon, it’s vital we pay attention to how we transaction from an active to passive state. After hours of activity and heightened states of alertness, many of us find it difficult to relax and quieten down enough to get the benefits of deep sleep. So what we need to do to give our mind and body the rest it needs to fully regenerate and rejuvenate?
The hope is many of us have a balanced morning ritual, which includes waking the system with warm water and lemon, followed by a little meditation, yoga stretches, an invigorating body scrub and massage. Equal time and attention needs to be given to explore the power and magic of a nightly ritual.
While the elements of your nightly ritual will vary according to your dosha, daily commitments and your individual needs; here are our tried and tested tips for creating ‘calm’ signals for the body and mind:
- Eat your evening meal before 7.00pm or at least 3 hours before sleeping. Keep this meal light so it’s easy to digest and make it a mindful practice, so you don’t over-eat, while your focus is somewhere else.
- Devices carry everything from dairies and to do-lists, so how is it possible to relax with a phone beside you at all times? Switch off all devices just before your evening meal and don’t turn them back on till after your morning meditation.
- Get yourself a simple alarm clock and put devices in a room they cannot easily be accessed from. If there are key emergency numbers on there, give them a separate ring tone that can be programmed to sound at night.
- Set aside ‘me-time’ to care for mind and body with a warm bath of healing salts, as these will detox the system and aid deep sleep, self-massage to soothe muscles and meditation to relax the mind. For those who struggle to meditate, try lighting a candle to bring a point of focus and enrich your evening ritual. This connection to our inner light brings many benefits beyond focus.
- Use our Sleep Dharma Pillow Mist, it has been formulated with nature's finest natural sedatives. 100% natural, vegan, free from paraben, synthetics and any other nasty ingredients, our spray has been created to ease relaxation and to help calming your mind & body.
- Try this simple Moon Breath. Lay down on your bed. Breathe in through left nostril & out through right nostril while closing alternately. Follow with 2 minutes spent simply feeling the sensation of air moving through your body.
- Read inspiring books or poems before bedtime to stop the mind racing and get into the habit of writing a ‘gratitude journal’.
- If there are still thoughts running through your head, keep a pen and paper by your bedside table, so you can write and release them.
This conscious connection ritual will lead to a sweeter, deeper sleep and set the foundation for a new day.