4 Simple Detox Baths To Help Heal Everything

Working a corporate job definitely has it perks. But along with the many benefits often come exhaustion and stress. And when you don’t feel like your best self, you're more likely to make less-than-ideal choices for your body (those cookies in the office become way more appealing, for starters, while that morning workout, well, doesn't).

All that's to say that a stressful corporate lifestyle could lead to a toxic overload in the body—which means you need to detox to ditch the unwanted chemicals and pesticides. One way to do that: detox baths.

Not only are they cleansing, but detox baths are super relaxing—and the perfect way to wind down after a hectic day. Plus, by using certain ingredients, you can help relieve the daily ailments that creep up amid long working hours. The four bath recipes below are perfect for the busy professional, so choose the one that best suits your needs, drink plenty of water before and after and infuse a dose of Zen into your day. If you're a newbie to detox baths, start with a 10-minute soak and gradually work your way up to 40 minutes with no more than two or three baths a week.

Tension and stress

Soaking in Epsom salt, which contains magnesium sulfate to help relax muscles and sedate the nervous system, is pretty much the definition of perfection after a long day of your shoulders being hunched over a computer. To reap the benefits, add 1 to 2 cups of the mineral to a full bath of warm water. And if you need an extra dose of relaxation, add 10 drops of lavender essential oil to help you unwind and prep you for a solid night of sleep. 

Insomnia

Got a huge presentation coming up? If it's keeping you up at night, you need a little somethin' somethin' to help calm your mind and get those much-needed zzz's (which, in turn, can help you nail that presentation since research shows that getting enough sleep helps improve memory function). Add 1 cup of bath salt and 1 cup of baking soda (which will neutralize unfiltered water from chlorine) to your bath. Then squeeze 10 drops of chamomile essential oil to allow for more restful sleep.

Cold and flu

When your job is beyond exhausting, it can cause a strain on your immune system that makes you more susceptible to catching a cold or the flu. To help prevent illness, add two bottles of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and 1 tablespoon of grated ginger to your detox bath. Ginger increases the body’s heat level, which promotes sweating and the removal of toxins, while the hydrogen peroxide oxygenates your body and allows for detoxification. You could also include 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to help clear up any congestion.

Skin issues

Toxic buildup in your body can cause a variety of skin issues, including eczema, dry skin, and nail fungus. If you have any of those issues, try adding 1 to 2 cups of apple cider vinegar to your bath—the vinegar helps regulate the skin's pH, which makes it difficult for skin issues to thrive. And since apple cider vinegar isn't the most pleasant-smelling, go ahead and add 10 drops of lavender or rose essential oil. You may want to rinse off in a cool shower after, too, to help get rid of any lingering odor.

by Amy Jarosky

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-25117/4-simple-detox-baths-to-help-heal-everything.html

9 Ways To Turn Your Bedroom Into An Oasis For Sleep

We all know that sleep is a basic human need, like eating and drinking. And yet many of us still believe that we can get by on less sleep with no negative consequences.

In fact, obtaining enough quality sleep that's in sync with your body’s natural internal clock is vital for your mental and physical health. Inadequate sleep is linked to conditions like heart disease, kidney disease,high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Not to mention, sleep is important for personal safety: Poor or too little sleep is associated with an increased risk of injury, serious car crashes, and human error resulting in tragic accidents.

As a Ph.D. diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine since 1984, I've devoted 35 years to the study of human sleep and clinical sleep disorders. And I've found that creating a bedroom conducive to sleep is one of the most important steps to getting the quality rest you need for your mood, physical health, and mental well-being. Here are nine key ways to design a sleep-friendly bedroom:

1. Make your bedroom very dark and quiet.

If where you live is too light and noisy, consider installing black curtains on the windows or wearing an eye mask to block the light from entering your eyes. Turn any clocks with lighted dials away from you.

You can purchase an inexpensive “white noise” sleep sound machine to mask disruptive outside noises. A dark and quiet bedroom is especially crucial to night shift workers who must sleep during the day.

2. Use colors to separate your bedroom from the rest of the home.

Your bedroom should be separated from the rest of your home to maintain a different association and function. For example, the walls should be painted a different, soothing color to reinforce the idea of rest.

3. Declutter your sleep space.

Your bedroom should not be filled with magazines, papers, and electronic gadgets. That's because clutter is often associated with multiple functions, and the idea is to limit the bedroom’s associations and functions, not expand them.

4. Make your bed daily.

It's important to make your bed every day so that you must draw back the covers at bedtime. This ritual also helps to associate the bed with very specific functions—sleep and sex. Do not eat in bed, watch TV in bed, or do any work in bed, as these activities are each associated with wakefulness, not sleep.

5. Invest in a comfortable bed and keep it simple.

Be sure to purchase a high-quality, comfortable bed and pillows; it's an investment you will not regret! Keep your bed sheets, covers, and pillows to a minimum so that you're not constantly pushing them out of the way to get comfortable when trying to sleep. Choose a color for your bedsheets and covers that you find peaceful and calming.

6. Keep pets out of your bed.

Your pets are best left off the bed, so you feel able to move around without being concerned that you might disturb them. The idea is to prioritize your own comfort during sleep. Your pets can still have separate beds in your bedroom if you'd like.

And if you have a human bed partner who is disruptive, consider putting two beds together or investing in a bed that allows for the separate control of each side. This is another investment you will not regret. 

7. Use red bulbs to minimize sleep disruptions.

If you get up in the middle of the night for bathroom trips, do not turn on overhead lights. Turning on your overhead lights sends a "wake up" signal to your internal clock. Use red bulbs—red light is basically invisible to our internal clock—in baseboard-level night lights to see your way to and from the bathroom.

8. Keep the bedroom temperature low.

Have you ever noticed that you sleep better during the winter months? We actually achieve more deep, delta sleep in a cool sleeping environment.

You may find you sleep more soundly when you're nude with covers. If you are hot when you go to bed, you'll have a very tough time sleeping. This has to do with your body temperature staying too high for sleep onset to occur. Our body temperature has a 24-hour cycle that parallels the activity-rest cycle. Body temperature rises and peaks during the waking day to produce heat in support of activity and falls during the evening hours to lose heat in preparation for sleep, an energy conservation state. You must literally cool down in order to fall asleep—and a hot bedroom blocks that cool-down process.

9. Get up and leave your bedroom if you can't sleep.

If you're having trouble falling asleep, get up and leave the bedroom to watch TV or read until you're sleepy, and then return to the bedroom. That way, you won't associate your bed with restlessness.

The bottom line: These sleep-friendly adjustments to your bedroom can increase your quality sleep for better mood, physical health, and mental focus.

by Deborah E. Sewitch

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-24898/9-ways-to-turn-your-bedroom-into-an-oasis-for-sleep.html

A DIY French Green Clay Mask That Will Refresh Your Skin

I'm a professional insomniac. Despite having tried nearly everything to fix my sleep woes, I continue to toss and turn most nights. It’s an unfortunate symptom of a chronic illness, so it’s not likely to change anytime soon.

As expected, the lack of sleep takes a toll on my skin, so to combat my perpetual shortage of shut-eye, I'm eternally obsessed with finding a green beauty routine that keeps my skin looking as healthy as possible.

In the wee hours of a recent snooze-free morning, I lay in bed thinking of a way I could achieve great-looking skin even as my precious sleep eluded me. Enter thoughts of French green clay.

This mineral-rich mud forms a perfect base for a DIY mask that both exfoliates and revitalizes, and a protein-packed egg yolk provides an easily absorbable combination of nutrients to restore tired skin.

The day after my all-night bout of insomnia, a friend asked me why my skin looked so good and whether I had changed my beauty routine. I just smiled at her and said, “It’s thanks to insomnia!”

French Green Clay Mask To Revive & Refresh Your Skin

This clay mask takes about five minutes to prepare and contains a handful of get-your-skin-glowing ingredients. Best of all, these items are easily found online and at your local health or grocery stores, making it a cinch to look like you got a full night’s sleep (even if you didn’t).

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon French green clay (available from a health food store or online)
• 1 teaspoon coconut flour (you can also use oat flour, almond flour, corn flour, etc.)
• 1 organic egg yolk
• 3 teaspoons filtered water, spring water, or aloe vera juice
• 2 drops geranium essential oil (optional, for normal skin)
• 2 drops lavender essential oil (optional, for acne-prone and sensitive skin)
• 2 drop chamomile essential oil (optional, for dry skin)
• 1 teaspoon avocado, jojoba, sunflower, or olive oil (optional, for dry skin)

Preparation

Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl. If you have dry skin, add your oil of choice (avocado, jojoba, sunflower, or olive oil). Next, gently mix in the two drops of your preferred essential oil.

Please note that you can still use this mask even if you don't add any oil or essential oil — a mask using only the base will still slough off dead skin and leave your complexion refreshed.

Now you’re ready to apply the mask!

Cleanse your face with warm water to open your pores and remove makeup. Gently pat your face with a towel until there’s just a little moisture left on your skin.

Use your fingers to apply a thick layer of the clay paste to your face, avoiding the eyes, eyebrows, and lips. Let the mask sit for 15 minutes or until dry. Then carefully wipe the mask off with a wet, warm washcloth.

Follow up with your favorite toner, moisturizer, or facial oil. Ta-da! Gorgeous skin.

Use once or twice a week for best results.

by Jenny Lelwica Buttaccio

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-23624/a-diy-french-green-clay-mask-that-will-refresh-your-skin.html

Press These Points on Your Palm to Relieve Any Pain

Alternative medicine can often be light-years ahead from the western medicine, when it comes to relieving pain. But, a combination of western and alternative medicine is probably the best way to treat all kinds of health conditions; it is worth looking at the benefits of an alternative form of pain resolution, such as reflexology. The main principles of reflexology have led to the idea of finding the pressure points within the palm of your hand that are connected to the part of the body causing you pain.

If you press the thumb point into the corresponding part of the hand for 5 seconds, releasing for 3 seconds, pressing again and repeating this cycle for several minutes, several times a day you will get results you want.

This methodology as well as others is demonstrated in the video bellow. In this video, Dr. Oz’s guest is a Reflexologist who explains that both the hands and feet can be seen as a microcosm of our entire body.

5 members from the audience come to the stage to explain what part of their body is causing them pain. For each disorder, the reflexologist explains which part of the palm is connected to the body part involved. She then shows how using one hand, different forms of pressing or massaging of a different part of the palm of the other hand will, over time, relieve the pain they are experiencing.

The audience members in this video suffered from:

• Constipation and bloating
• Insomnia and exhaustion
• Sinus congestion
• Upper back pain
• Low libido.
• 
  

Her explanations were fascinating and easy to follow. She showed them how to work on their own palms to lower their pain or problem. She said what kind of sensations they would feel while they apply pressure and massage; that would signal that they were working in the correct area.

After watching this video I think will try some of the methods demonstrated for things that I need relief from. What you think about reflexology after watching the video? Have you ever tried it or you will you give it a try?

http://www.naturalhealingmagazine.com/press-these-points-on-your-palm-to-relieve-any-pain/

How to Tell if You’re Magnesium Deficient (and What to Do About It)

I must really be such a nerd. My latest source of fascination these days has not been the swankiest fashion trends or the coolest new movies (confession: I’ve never seen any of the Batman movies). It’s not even been a new cooking technique or interior design trick (though I do love those!) Nope, my latest fascination has been with magnesium.

Yes. Magnesium.

But I suppose that if you’re reading this right now, you have at least some interest in magnesium. Or perhaps you’re searching for a remedy for any of the ailments that are associated with magnesium deficiency. If you deal with headaches, body odor, constipation, insomnia, or fatigue, it’s likely that you are lacking in magnesium.

I know what you’re thinking. How can one little mineral deficiency be such a big deal? Actually, it’s a huge deal.

“Magnesium is required for the proper function of approximately 300 enzymes in the human body. Functions as diverse as blood pressure regulation, muscle contraction, heart rhythm stabilization, and nervous system communication are all magnesium-dependent processes. Humans cannot survive without magnesium. Some authorities have even argued that some typical manifestations of aging—such as loss of muscle mass, rising blood pressure, and diminished nervous system function—are partly attributable to magnesium deficiency.” (source)

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M MAGNESIUM DEFICIENT?

Magnesium deficiency can show up in your body with any of these signs or symptoms:

– Aggression
– Insomnia
– Anxiety, hyperactivity, restlessness
– Body Odor
– Constipation
– Muscle spasms, twitches, soreness
– Difficulty swallowing
– Impaired memory or cognitive function
– Back aches
– Headaches
– Chest tightness and difficulty breathing
– Menstrual pain or irregularities
– Heart palpitations
– High blood pressure
– Extreme fatigue
– Seizures
– Osteoporosis
(Sources here, here, and here)

WHAT GIVES? WHY ARE WE MAGNESIUM DEFICIENT?

Why are so many people lacking in magnesium these days?
Unlike our ancestors, our water no longer comes from streams, rivers, or springs. We get our water from the tap, from filters, or from pre-bottled water. All the ‘bad stuff’ is taken out (even though lots of bad stuff is left in tap water!), but this means most of the ‘good stuff’ is removed as well. This even happens with bottled water and filtered water. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the minerals our bodies require are filtered out, leaving us far more susceptible to problems like headaches, fatigue, insomnia, and even morning sickness in pregnant women!

Add to this the fact that our soil has been raped by modern industrial agriculture, stripping it of its rich mineral content, leaving our food with fewer nutrients than what our ancestors consumed.

HELP! HOW DO I GET MORE MAGNESIUM?

Here’s how to boost your magnesium intake and reverse those symptoms caused by a magnesium deficiency:

1. Eat lots of organic green vegetables: The chlorophyll in green veggies contains magnesium. But you want to make sure you’re eating local and/or organic produce! Organic produce has been shown to contain up to 40% more nutrients than conventional! (Source: Worthington , Virginia . “Nutritional Quality of Organic Versus Conventional Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains.” The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Vol. 7, 2. 2001.) Stock up on spinach, kale, chard, seaweed, and other leafy greens.

2. Consume other whole foods rich in magnesium: This includes bone broths, unrefined sea salt, whole grains (see above), nuts, and seeds.

3. Avoid alcohol and caffeine: While I do enjoy a draft cider or a good cup of dark roast coffee every once in a while, alcohol and coffee (caffeine in general) are appetite suppressants and they deplete magnesium in your body. If you are dealing with any of the symptoms listed above, cut out coffee and alcohol completely for at least a few weeks as you restore your magnesium levels.

4. Stay away from sugar! For every molecule of sugar you consume, it requires 54 molecules of magnesium to process it! Basically, sugar leaches vitamins and minerals from your body, including magnesium. So back away from the soda, sugary drinks, candy, baked goods, and processed packaged foods (most of them have lots of hidden sugar – like salad dressings and pasta sauces. Read the labels!)

6. Heal your gut: Fermented foods and drinks, as well as high quality probiotic supplements, can help restore the balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut, allowing your body to actually absorb more of the magnesium you consume.

7. Drink a magnesium citrate powder in water: Brands like Natural Vitality’s Natural Calm or MagnaCalm are great supplements. But they are meant to be just that – a supplement to a healthy diet. Don’t think of it as a magic elixir, but it can definitely help restore your magnesium levels, leaving you more calm and, ahem, regular.

8. Transdermal magnesium therapy: This has been revolutionary for me. It’s probably my favorite way to boost my magnesium levels and not stink at the same time. Transdermal magnesium therapy is a fantastic natural deodorant and is completely chemical free! Look for more info on natural deodorants soon. But I highly recommend you start with this. Take 1/2 c. of magnesium flakes and mix with 1/2 c. warm filtered water in a small spray bottle. Spray on your stomach 1-5 times daily. You’ll want to start with just once a day at first and work your way up. Too much magnesium all at once tends to have a laxative effect on the body! You could also toss those flakes (or Epsom salts – otherwise known as hydrated magnesium sulfate) into a bath (just make sure you shower/bathe in filtered water).

9. Soak up the sun. You might remember that I don’t wear sunscreen unless I’m outside for very long periods of time in an area where the sun is stronger than my body is used to (i.e. a vacation at the beach). Sun exposure is actually your main source of vitamin D, which is essential for magnesium absorption. Studies have even shown that vitamin D containing supplements like cod liver oil, while they are fantastic supplements to take on a regular basis, won’t help you nearly as much as sunlight will in the area of magnesium absorption.

Do you deal with any symptoms related to a magnesium deficiency? How do you plan to combat it?

Written By Lori at Laurel of Leaves

http://liveenergized.com/latest-posts/are-you-magnesium-deficient/

How To Wake Up Early

So you have a morning interview tomorrow but it’s almost midnight and you’re still wide awake.
You set an early alarm so you could be there on time. Then, for whatever reason, the alarm goes off before you’re ready to wake up. Sounds familiar?
Maybe this hasn’t happened to you.

But you came dangerously close to arriving late once.

Sleep Problems Affect Your Career

About 70 million Americans suffer from sleep problems, including apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome, according to the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research.

Sleep problems, like insomnia, affect your career, too. Aside from arriving late, there’s also the chance you’d look so tired and unprofessional the interviewer might think you’re not serious about the job. Of course, bed hair and tired-looking eyes aren’t helping your case.
What can you do?

The Fuss-Free Strategies to becoming an Early Riser on Interview Day

1. Say “No” to Naps and Afternoon Coffee

Resist the urge to nap after lunch but don’t use coffee to stay awake either. Go for a walk, exercise or do some chores. Wear yourself out during the day so you’re too tired at night.

If you really need to nap, don’t nap after dinner and keep it short. Napping longer than one hour will keep you up way later than you’d like.

2. Stay Away from Your Tablet and Smart Phone

The blue light emitted from mobile devices makes it extra challenging for your already-awake brain to feel sleepy. All that fun apps and emails are distracting, too. Do all your emails before bedtime, so you don’t spend the night thinking about the interview, your chores and everything else you should be doing.

3. Try the Inverted Snooze

Insomniacs, like most people, hit the snooze button when their alarm goes off. Fight the urge to snooze by tricking your brain to get up. Next time the alarm goes off, you press snooze like always but instead of going back to sleep, you get up.

How in the world can you convince yourself to get up?

Easy. Promise yourself that you only need to stay up for 10 minutes– or five if that’s how short the snooze setting is. Most people who’ve tried this ended up exercising, preparing coffee or watching news on TV. By the time the alarm goes off again, they already feel wide awake.

4. Wake Up According to Your Circadian Rhythm

Lots of people wake up feeling tired every morning. Most times, it’s not even their fault.
Your body’s circadian rhythm affects how you feel after waking up. Waking up at the middle of deep sleep makes for a cranky morning, but waking up during the lightest part of the sleep cycle is bliss. You’ll wake up refreshed. As if you slept like a baby.

Sleep Cycle app on Android and iOS solves this. It wakes you up like a typical alarm but it tracks your movements so it can wake you up at the optimal time, based on your sleep cycle.

Waking up early, even for insomniacs, isn’t rocket science. But it takes some experimenting to see what works for you.

Do you have an upcoming interview scheduled way too early than your usual wake-up time? Try one of the strategies here.

by Michelle Riklan

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2015/07/wake-early.html

4 Alternative Herbal Remedies for Anxiety (Tried and Tested)

I’ve suffered anxiety on and off for many years.

It started in my pubescent years and reached a crescendo around the age of 18-19, after which I was prescribed Prozac, and later Desvenlafaxine and Loxalate. I stayed on these medications for about 6 months, jumping from one to another in hopes of finding a “cure.” Soon I discovered that prescription medications don’t actually work that way because they only serve as a band aid (albeit, often a very necessary one) that superficially numbs the issue.

Dissatisfied with the results of taking medication, I slowly weaned myself off the pills and was shocked by what I discovered: although I felt the old demon of anxiety looming in the background, I also felt more mental clarity, more emotional depth and more creativity. What a surprise! And what a simultaneous blessing.

Since then I have vowed to explore alternative treatments, including a variety of herbal remedies for anxiety that I want to share with you in this article. Although herbal remedies shouldn’t be solely relied on to treat your anxiety (it is imperative to pair this treatment with behavioral/psychological therapy by yourself or with a professional), it is an effective, cheap and healthy way of supplementing your well-being.

4 Powerful Herbal Remedies for Anxiety

I’ve tried a broad variety of herbal remedies for anxiety throughout a large number of years, and while some have been mildly effective, others have been noticeably potent in their physiological, emotional and psychological influence.

Remember: while these herbs worked for me, they might not necessarily work for you. You and I both have a different body mass, level of brain chemicals, hormonal variations, and many other elements that influence how effective a particular herb is or not. So take these recommendations with “a grain of salt.”

Also, call me a rebel, but I rarely take the recommended dosage for herbal supplements. Taking one or two capsules or teaspoons of powder daily is not, in my experience, particularly potent, noticeable or even worth it. So I like to experiment with quantity. This is what I do:

• Take the recommended dosage. If it is effective, good for you. If not, consider increasing the dosage.
• Important: Before you increase the dose of a herb, research the potential side effects of large quantities. While some herbs are harmless, others carry more notable risks. Once you have done your research, proceed.
• Slowly increase the quantity and observe yourself closely. If you feel discomfort of any kind, decrease the dosage. Remember to practice restraint and be responsible with your dosages (e.g. don't do ten times the recommended dosage). Herbs are only supplements; not cures.

It also helps to remember that our bodies develop tolerance to different chemical compositions quickly. So while taking one herbal remedy one week might work, the next it might wane in its effectiveness. This is why I recommend having two or more different herbs to swap between if you’re going through a particularly stressful period of life that you are struggling with.

1. Damiana

Damiana (Turnera Diffusa) is a shrub that is native to the central and south Americas and is used to traditionally enhance libido as well as decrease anxiety. Damiana can be smoked, taken in tablet or powder form, or drunk as tea. I personally love brewing it in tea (it also comes out cheaper this way). I’ve only recently discovered Damiana and it is a wonderfully potent herb for psychological stress, and can be often bought on ebay.

2. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) is a native Indian herb that is part of the night shade family. Traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine, Ashwagandha has been shown to reduce anxiety, as well as enhance libido, decrease blood pressure, soothe ADHD, reduce arthritic swelling, and many other bodily afflictions. I take ashwagandha in capsule form (the smell/taste is a bit horsey otherwise), in doses ranging from 750 – 1000 mg. Read more about Ashwagandha on Amazon.

3. Rhodiola

Rhodiola (Rhodiola Rosea) is a perennial plant that grows in colder regions of the world such as Great Britain, Iceland and Scandinavia. Used in traditional European medicine, Rhodiola is said to increase the body’s resistance to stress by regulating its hormones and improving neurotransmitter activity within the brain towards anxiety. Rhodiola is also said to help reduce depression, fatigue, cholesterol, altitude sickness and other physical and mental ailments. I really love Rhodiola. I take it in pill form and find its effects particularly powerful at 1000 – 2000 mg. You can read more about Rhodiola on Amazon.

4. Siberian Ginseng

Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus Senticosus) grows natively in Siberia and is nothing like the Asian varieties of ginseng in its effects. Siberian Ginseng is an adaptogenic, meaning that it helps the body adapt to a variety of physical and mental stresses such as insomnia, over-work, chronic anxiety and immunity impairment. This herb is used to treat cold and flu symptoms, stress and even herpes and hepatitis C. Siberian Ginseng can be taken in pill, capsule, extract, powder or tea form. I generally take it in capsule form, with 2000 mg being a potent dosage for me. Read more about Siberian Ginseng on Amazon.

***

There are many herbal remedies for anxiety out there, and these four plants and herbs are the most powerful I have discovered so far during my journey. In the end, it is important that you experiment with a wide variety of herbs and dosages to see what suits you most, as well as keeping in mind potential side effects and anything else that might influence you (i.e. if you’re pregnant or on other medication).

What herbal remedies for anxiety can you personally recommend?

by ALETHEIA LUNA 

http://lonerwolf.com/herbal-remedies-for-anxiety/

5 Easy Ways To Empty Your Mind Before Bed

Do you lie awake at bedtime with thoughts running rampant in your mind? If you’re busy or stressed, then your mind is likely to be on overdrive much of the time. Then when you lie down in bed at the end of the day, your racing mind is still on autopilot, chattering away to itself, thinking of anything and everything it possibly can.

Sometimes the thoughts that keep you awake are somewhat useful to you, such as remembering the groceries that you need to buy tomorrow, or your plans to catch up with friends on the weekend.

Yes, these thoughts are worthy of your attention, but not when it’s time to sleep!

If overthinking is keeping you awake at night, here’s 5 easy tips to empty your mind before going to sleep.

1. Write down your thoughts

There are a number of ways that you can document your thoughts and get them out of your head so that they don’t bounce around up there keeping you awake all night. The old-fashioned pen and paper do a fine job. But if you have a device in your bedroom then you can use a note-taking app, like Evernote to get your thoughts into a safe place and store them for later.

2. Visualize

If you’re bombarded with thoughts as soon as you hop into bed, a simple visualization can help calm your mind. Imagine that next to your bed is a big basket, and every time a thought pops up and tries to hook you in, imagine that thought floating out of your mind and into the basket. Know that the thought is safe, that you can review it at another time, but for now the only thing that you need to focus on is getting that thought out of your head!

3. Meditate

Regular meditation has a multitude of benefits, including improved sleep and a calmer mind. Meditate daily to reduce your predisposition to having a racing mind, or meditate by focusing on your breathing when you hop into bed to relax your mind and body, ready for sleep.

4. Promise to continue your thinking at another time

Your mind is persistent. It will keep spinning around ideas, worries, problems and solutions as long as you allow it to. If you notice a recurring idea or thought, try making a deal with your mind, saying to it “I promise that I’ll make some time tomorrow to give this thought the time and attention that it deserves, but for now, I need to get some sleep.” You will, of course need to fulfill your promises!

5. Do all of your thinking before you get into bed

If you’re notorious for busying yourself or indulging in screen-time right up until bedtime, then maybe your mind comes alive as you hop into bed, going over the day and planning for tomorrow. This can become an unhelpful habit that interferes with your ability to get to sleep on time. Try switching off your devices and creating some quiet time prior to bed to set your mind free and get your thinking done. Once you’ve finished, you can go to bed with an empty mind and sleep soundly every night.

BY NAOMI GOODLET

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-easy-ways-empty-mind-bed/

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