Alright, this next sleep strategy might feel a little “woo, woo” or a little strange for some of you but trust me it works. Sleep Strategy #6 is about creating a sanctuary in your bedroom. What I mean by a sanctuary is creating a space where you feel peaceful and calm, where you’re not stressed out by the environment itself. So, you want to create a space in your bedroom that feels inviting and just relaxes you the moment you walk into it.
You might try putting some paintings or artwork on the walls that make you feel calm and peaceful. You can put in some natural lighting. And another one that I love is simplify your room. So, instead of having your room be the place where you work and sleep and write and read and eat, make your room just a place for sleeping so that when you’re in your room you’re giving your body that signal that, “Oh, it’s time for rest. It’s time for sleep.”
A useful trick around this is to have a rule that your phone and your laptop are not allowed in your bedroom. And this is one of the best rules that you can follow. It will help avoid mindless scrolling at night and it will also remind you of what your bedroom is really for.
Now, of course, during this course while you’re doing the sleep meditations you might bring your phone into your room to use it to listen to the guided meditations at night but once you’re through the guided meditations and you’re back to sleeping peacefully, you might try to implement that rule of keeping your phone outside of the room.
So, a little recap for this is keep your room tidy, keep it inviting and peaceful. Create that sanctuary environment as if you’re visiting a day spa.