The Art of Sleep

Ah, the elusive “good night’s sleep.” Easy to say, maybe not as straightforward to accomplish. So many factors play into the sleep quality equation, and it’s not just your mattress type–eating schedule, hormones, pain situation, sound interference, temperature, cortisol, pets on the bed, circadian rhythm–it becomes a full-on jigsaw puzzle to suss out precisely why you’re awake in the wee small hours instead of blissfully knocked out.

I’ve used the baby image here deliberately. If you’ve ever taken care of an infant or small child at bedtime, you know that the going-to-bed process doesn’t just involve a quick tuck in. There’s usually a bath, jammies (and clean diaper), a book, a bottle, and THEN bed, or something to that general effect. It’s a dependable and gradual denouement from the day, giving the baby’s mind and body signals that it’s time to unwind and let go for the evening.

We would do well to take a cue from the childhood bedtime draw-down concept. To get some ideas, check out this video from the Sleep Foundation for some quick tips, and then give it a try for a week or two to see what happens. One hour before bed, start your dial-down process. Maybe that includes a bath, reading, a cup of herbal tea, a chat with a loved one, knitting, working a jigsaw puzzle, or another quiet, calming activity. Experiment and find out what works best for you. While you’re adding in possible…