How to Rest WELL

We all talk about sleep and rest. For most people, it's super important, and we should all find time to sleep more and go to bed early... But HOW can we actually have an affective rest?!

I started to think about this recently when I was talking to an old friend who brought up his personal challenge with truly peaceful rests. While it’s an obvious topic, it can be impossible to implement in our life. 

To help make it a little less impossible, here are a few tips and ideas to implement in your rest breaks and routine:
1. Reserve time for sleeping hours- Our body needs consistency. Schedule 7-8 hours for sleep a night, and build your schedule around it. Didn’t get enough sleep one day? Try to plan for a nap later or more sleep the next day.

2. Wind down- Personally, I need 40-60 minutes to wind down after a long and busy day. Otherwise, I just don’t fall asleep! You can even use a timer so you don’t get carried away and binge watch Netflix too late.
** Every day I decide that at 11pm, no matter what, I will start getting ready for bed. Setting a specific time really helps reinforcing the habit!**

3. Screen-free time- This is new for me. I started reading a BOOK before falling asleep. No more scrolling through Facebook and the news. Get away from the screen and music. We have it enough throughout the day. 

4. Use a timer- As much as possible: use it while taking a nap, talking on the phone, or even scrolling through social media. It’s not necessarily to restrict these activities, but to help us become more aware and better at planning so we don’t feel like the day just passed by without accomplishing anything. This can help avoid having to stay up late finishing projects that could have been done earlier in the day.

5. Have only 5-10 min to relax? Put away your phone. Stare at the space in front of you and watch people or nature.  This type of break will help you feel more rested than being stimulated by a barrage of information.

6. Vent- Sometimes we just need to vent. Call a friend you trust and let it rip. You can also write things out if no one is available! Getting things out of your mind will help you focus and put them aside.

I hope you find it helpful! If you have any other tips or suggestions, please share in comments.