Introduction
If you've ever been plagued by insomnia or other sleep problems, you know that it can be difficult to change your habits. It's even more difficult to do so if those bad habits are ones you've developed over time and aren't entirely your fault. Luckily, there are tricks that can help improve your sleep while also breaking these bad habits:
Use a timer.
First, use a timer. We know that this is an old trick, but it's one of the most effective ways to get yourself into a meditation routine. Find an app on your phone or download one from the App Store and set it for 20 minutes (or even shorter). When the time is up, just start counting backwards from 10 again until you fall asleep. Don't worry about how long it takes or how many times your mind wanders--that's normal! Just keep going until there are only two seconds left in the session before turning off the alarm clock.
Create a ritual.
You can create a ritual that you can do before bed. A simple one might be to wash your face, but if it feels more fun and interesting, try something more complex. You could even meditate for 20 minutes!
It doesn't matter where or how you do these things; just make sure the actions are meaningful to you so they become an enjoyable part of your routine.
Change your environment.
Change the environment around you.
Change your lighting.
Adjust the temperature of your room or bed so that it's comfortable for sleeping, but not too hot or cold--this will help reduce stress and promote sleep better than if it were too warm or cool.
Play soothing music during meditation, such as classical music or nature sounds (streaming on Spotify).
Keep windows closed while meditating; they may help block out noise from outside noises like traffic and people talking outside the window!
Start early and stick to it.
You don't have to be sleepy at 5pm. If you're still awake and ready for some meditating, then that's great! But if you're tired and pissed off in the morning, it might be time for a break from meditation.
If you try to start your sleep meditation practice after you've already been up for hours (and maybe had some coffee), there's a good chance that your brain will rebel against being told what to do anymore. You might find yourself resisting the idea of sitting still as much as possible so that nothing else distracts or irritates you while trying not to fall asleep during class or work hours later on.(And let me tell you: we've all been there.)
Starting early also means sticking with it--and this is an important part of getting better at anything!
Don't be afraid to use music, too.
Music can be a great way to relax, fall asleep and stay asleep. It's also a great way to wake up in the morning, stay awake when you're tired, get out of bed (and back into it), and even help you sleep through the night!
The trick is to pick music that feels right for your situation. If it's late at night and you're feeling anxious about having to get up early tomorrow morning--then maybe some soothing classical music would be better than "We Found Love" by Rihanna on repeat. On the other hand, if there are many other factors working against getting enough rest (like noise pollution from other people who live nearby), then maybe something more upbeat like Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk" will serve as an effective pick-me-up instead of making matters worse!
There are ways to improve your sleep in spite of bad habits!
Use a timer.
Create a ritual.
Change your environment, or start early and stick to it!
In fact, there are many ways you can get yourself into better sleep habits no matter what kind of bad ones you have--like by using music as part of your meditation routine or even creating an alarm clock that reminds you when it's time for bed (instead of getting up in the middle of the night).
Conclusion
You might be thinking, "I've tried everything. What's the point in trying more?" We'd argue that there is always a point to trying new things—even if that means changing up your worst sleep meditation habits! You never know what will work for you until you try it, and if nothing does then at least you'll have learned something new about yourself along the way. Plus, since we're all different in our own ways, some of these tricks may make sense for your life at one time but not another; so it's worth revisiting them regularly just because they could help change things as well as stay on top of bad habits instead!
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