How do you Unwind? Lets talk about bad sleep habits
A few years ago, I would get home from work, almost always spent, exhausted, craving my sofa and some mind numbing TV. From the moment the tube left my work station, I'd have the following internal dialogue:
Like many other nights, my evening yoga would likely be me double screening. Part watching whatever series on netflix, part scrolling through instagram. Occasional thumb cramps, much anxiety. Sometimes I might even do all of that in active wear. Eventually, after another internal dialogue about cooking versus deliveroo, I'll peel myself to my bed. I'll grab my book, but also my phone - you know, just need to check one thing (cue me knee deep in a wikipedia black hole of Catherine the Great's sexual prowess and also who was Rasputin? On a bad night, I'll be looking at property prices in Wales).
Suffice to say, these are some unhealthy routines that overtime reduce our ability to rest, digest, and relax. The blue light from all the screens hampers our bodies ability to release melatonin - leading to poor sleep. Your body heals when you sleep, your mind clears out loaaaads of toxins when you sleep. You need this sleep, it's literally the thing your health desperately needs.
The constant media overload keeps our minds active, unable to stay quiet or sit still. How do you disconnect in a world of extreme convenience and stimulation? How do we feel so busy yet so alone. So full yet so empty? A few years ago, I used to feel so drained that the idea of anything other than 'zoning out on my phone' was daunting.
BUILD GOOD ROUTINES. BREAK BAD ONES.
Im not going to lie - it's easier said than done. I'm quite healthy - I yoga but I also love the wine. I do weights but I also mainly go to the gym for the sauna... (but thats also good for you so i'm gonna stick to that). But if we don't get ourselves out of these unhealthy digital cycles we can end up in dark, stagnant places.
Here are some quick tips to help you get the most of your evening to help you sleep
(1) switch off - that means no instagram, no TV, no screens. When I get home now (okay just kidding, I work from home now and also...covid). So when I finish my 'work' day, I shut everything down (at least for a couple of hours)
(2) engage with nature, some how. Tend to plants, go for a walk (seriously, go outside)
(3) cook - anything, its so much more rewarding (no breaking bad cooks pls)
(4) don't eat in front of the TV (but also do it sometimes, can't always be so pious)
(5) avoid double screening at all costs - honestly, we all do it but its seriously bad for cognitive function especially as we age
(6) practice good night time hygiene - I have a bath religiously, its become a bit of an indulgence. Throw some salts in (do not smoke them), a couple drops of essential oil and read a book (or listen to a podcast), gua sha that beautiful face, this is also the ideal time to take a PM CBD oil. If you're not a freak like me who 'must' bathe before bed - use this time to do your 3,000 step korean beauty routine. After this (and brushing your teeth) - I repeat - do not look at your phone. Put it on airplane mode. Give yourself an hour or two without looking at it.
(7) make a night time beverage (not wine, or maybe wine, you do you) - I love Wunder Workshop's Golden Balance (this has ashwagandha and turmeric, known to help you detox and manage cortisol levels).
(8) get an old fashioned alarm and charge your phone outside your bedroom. You will wake up and the first thing you grab will not be your phone. Your adrenal glands will thank you later. And maybe also your sex life.
I've added a CBD tincture to my night routine to help transition from the hectic, busy, crazy digital world into the calm, relaxed, clutter free internal state ready for sleep.
Here are the best pm oils out there:
Kiskanu's CBD Botanical Night Drops
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