By Claralynn Schnell of ContemporaryVA
Are you bogged down at night by mind chatter? Are you so stressed out that you can’t figure out how to turn your brain off? You are not alone! I find myself in this predicament quite often! As a single, working from home, stay at home mom of 2 extremely active boys, it can be hard to turn my brain off when it is time to go to sleep, and if there is one thing that I need in my crazy life, it is sleep!
Here are some tips and tricks that I have learned to help with the constant mind chatter and how to “turn off” your brain for the night!
- Disconnect. Disconnect. Disconnect!!! This means turn off all electronics, put down your cell phone, put down your kindle down and just relax! Why does this help? This helps because when the glare is off and you close your eyes and take a deep breath! Sound too good to be true? Sometimes it is and sometimes it is not! I find that sometimes I am exhausted, but if I have my phone in my hand, I simply won’t go to sleep, even though I can barely keep my eyes open.
- Take a hot shower or bath before bed. There is something amazing about how a hot shower can clear your mind and help you sleep at night. Play some relaxing music and light a candle that has a soothing scent such as lavender. This combination can help soothe your muscles and ease your mind of the stresses and worries of daily life.
- Meditation. Take 30 minutes before bed to take some time all to yourself, mediate, pray or do something that brings you back to your center. Take the time that you need to find your center and to relax. This last step out of all can be the most important. Take this time to clear your brain of everything going on for the day. Write to do lists if that is what you need to do to go to sleep with a clear and happy mind!
These things will not work for everyone, but they have worked for me. They are simple and relaxing. They are things that you can control and focus your time and energy on. Mind chatter will not disappear overnight and it will take time and energy to begin to truly grasp and fully work on the ability to
Mind chatter will be always be there, it is learning what works for you to clear the chatter and be able to sleep and be rested come the morning. If you need help with controlling your mind chatter, contact Paul.