Sleep hygiene

Words like performance and productivity run the world. Self-help books and, Life-coaches are numerous out there to help you to be "more". Whilst it is a most significant step forward to learn how to be "more" in the external world, it is also a tragedy as people are not taking care of their own instrument: themselves. Burnout, depression, loneliness symptoms are sadly too common nowadays, and they keep going up to the roof during these last 10 years.

Sleep hygiene is important as a form of self-care for our physical body and our mental health.

Habits to renounce from

Stop screen time, TV, put away video games, phone and computer at 830 pm or no screens at least 1 hour before you get into bed. Screens keep your brain excited at a moment it needs calm.

Do not dine late, no eating before at least 2 hours: digestion greatly disturb the quality of our sleep. When we sleep the whole body should be at rest. If your digestive system is at work during our sleep, it simply means that the body is not resting at all, and is busy.

I know that some men are using masturbation and/or porn to help them fall asleep. It definitely works well because the ejaculation process implies depleting you from your Life energy. Ask yourself if this habit has a good benefit on the long term or not?

Do avoid the social jet lag. Social jet lag is defined as the time difference between the midpoint of sleep on workdays and on weekend days. Social jet lag promotes practically everything that's bad in our bodies and disturbs profoundly your natural circadian clock.

https://www.google.com/search?q=social+jetlag&oq=social+jetlag

Stop or try half of caffeine intake during the day. I sleep so much better since I stop coffee.

No need to talk about the alcohol effect on sleep, right?

Ideas for adjustment

Make sleep a priority is the first step in our approach.

Then gradually implements few or more of the following adjustments:

Get enough direct daylight exposure, at least 20 minutes.

Start by dimming your light where possible during evening time, keep yourself away from any bright light that will disturb the body natural process of melatonin production

Stretching: my favourite, it will help to move the gunky energy accumulated throughout your day

Reading physical books (on Kindle is fine)

Meditation

A short walk (intense exercise will wake your body up and disrupt your falling asleep process)

Keep the same routine with a fixed Wake Up time to avoid any social jet lag. Keeping it consistent daily will help your body biological circadian cycle.

Your bedroom

Blackout curtains that will provide a pitch black in your bedroom.

Make sure to have a cool temperature in your bedroom

Weighted blanket are awesome to promote the falling asleep process https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/do-weighted-blankets-work

Taping off all eventual LEDs in your room

Switch off all electronic devices; no WIFI, no 4G; if possible put away your electronic devices from your bed.

Swimmer's earplugs for blocking any eventual noisy sound.

External help

Classical music for sleep https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqJuVSu58oI

Bilateral music (to listen with headphones or earbuds) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYxcl30LZ3I

Purring cat music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um-wKj8Iwz4

(Boring) podcast

Taking 3-5mg of melatonin to fasten the falling asleep process.