Are You Having Difficulty Falling Asleep? Try This Trick and Wake up Feeling Refreshed!
Fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up happy
I am an insomniac who loves to sleep. Unfortunately, as soon as my head hits the pillow, I am plagued with worry and unable to relax enough to have a restful slumber. I typically wake up twice a night, on a good night.
I have tried many remedies including medication, yoga, meditation, and essential oils. The sleep medication prescribed by my doctor worked the best, but it provided an artificial, non-restorative sleep, complete with a “hangover”.
This wasn’t working for me and I was at the end of my rope. Until I discovered a practice that made me fall asleep quickly, stay asleep the whole night, and awaken “fresh as a daisy”.
Plain and simple: Insomnia sucks. It's also one of the most common medical problems that people deal with on a daily basis.
According to a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 2018, data shows that 25% of the population experience acute insomnia each year, with 6% finding that the condition develops into chronic insomnia over the course of the year.¹
Most insomniacs experience racing thoughts before bed. It’s a constant train of strung together thoughts, like a maze of the mind that we get stuck in.
Especially right now, many people are having a hard time sleeping. We are anxious about the COVID-19 virus, we are stuck inside, and we probably aren’t eating well or getting enough exercise.
Sleep is paramount in a time of crisis and this trick can help you fall asleep faster and have an all-natural restorative sleep!
How I discovered this trick and why it works
A few years ago, I was lying in bed and thinking about my typical day. I retraced my steps throughout the day, starting from when my feet hit the floor in the morning.
I visually went through each step in great detail, and by the time I got to “lunch”, I was asleep! To be honest, I have never made it past lunch while using this trick!
I don’t know why it works so well, but it does. I presume it’s because my mornings and days tire me out. When I pretend I’m doing it all over again, it triggers the “lunchtime slump” feeling and I get tired.
This practice is similar to meditation but it’s not spiritual, so it would work well for someone who enjoys the feeling of meditation but not the spiritual side of the practice.
It sounds weird, but I swear it works!
How to retrace your daily steps and fall asleep quickly
- Start by laying in bed. You are comfortable and cozy, ready to fall asleep. Make sure you have finished every step of your bedtime routine and ensure your phone is on silent.
- Start with picturing yourself waking up, getting out of bed, and walking to the bathroom. Envision yourself getting ready in lucid detail (showering, shampooing your hair, and brushing your teeth). Basically, you will be visualizing your perfect day in great detail, while encompassing all of your daily tasks.
- Make sure you are very detailed. For example, when you picture yourself showering: You pick up the shampoo bottle, open it, squeeze it out, lather, etc. You can even smell the shampoo, whatever keeps you focused and happy. This portion of the day should feel relaxing and blissful.
- Picture this as your “best day ever”. You are happy, well-rested, and ready to start the day!
- Don’t get distracted and go on a “thought tangent”. If you start to mentally drift from the “task” at hand: Recognize and acknowledge the distracting thought and visually put it in a box. Then, continue on with your “day”.
- Do not get wrapped up in the emotional side of your day (negative thoughts about going to work or irritation with your family). This should be all about you, waking up and going about your day in a grateful and happy headspace.
- If you are a champ and make it to the end of your day, never fear! Picture yourself going through the most relaxing bedtime routine ever. Envision yourself taking a hot bath, meditating, and getting ready for bed.
- You can repeat this exercise until you fall asleep.
It used to take me 3 hours to fall asleep every night but when I use this trick, it only takes fifteen minutes before I’m off to dreamland.
The difficult part of using this trick is not allowing emotions or random worries to get in the way of your “daily activities”. It takes practice, but now I rarely get distracted by my thoughts while envisioning my perfect day.
This is also an excellent introduction to meditation.
Right now, many of us are having sleepless nights. Insomnia runs rapidly in times of crisis and this situation is no exception.
All of us are pondering the worst-case scenarios. Instead of visualizing what can happen, try envisioning your idea of a perfect, productive day.
Breathe, take care of yourself and each other.
Sweet dreams!
[1]: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. (June 5, 2018). One in four Americans develop insomnia each year: 75 percent of those with insomnia recover https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180605154114.htm
Amy Cottreau is a freelance writer who hails from a small city in Atlantic Canada. She enjoys interacting with fellow writers, dreaming of ideas for her next article, and researching a myriad of topics.