If you have not been sleeping well lately, I encourage you to consider:

~ What's my bedtime routine?

~ What's bothering me the most right now?

~ Did I incorporate movement into my day?

YOU have the power to influence your sleep. If you're struggling to get enough rest, I suggest trying the following:

~ Create a consistent and relaxing evening ritual. 😴 This could include turning the lights down and lighting a candle 30 minutes before bed, putting your phone away, taking a hot bath or shower, or doing 5 minutes of yoga or meditation (legs up the wall pose, pictured, is my favorite). I also enjoy foam rolling, doing self massage on my feet, and using essential oils. And, hands down, self Reiki is the biggest help for getting out of my head and falling asleep. If you want to learn more about Reiki, send me a note; it's a game changer!

~ Another helpful practice is to look at what is stressing you out the most. 📝 I find it's best to do this midday or in the evening, not right before bed. Get out a notebook and write down everything that's stressing you out. Write freely; don't feel like you have to leave anything off the list. Then assess, what is highest priority? What action steps can you take toward solving these issues and reducing stress? What is out of your control? Simply by addressing what problems you need to solve, it can help put your mind at ease.

~ Move your body! 💃🤸‍♀️ Lately I do at least 30 minutes of cardio every day and I'm finding it makes a huge difference in my sleep. Walking, running, dancing, yoga, biking -- do what works for you. Make a commitment to MOVE your body every day, and bring in the intention of releasing restless energy and fear from your system. If you are struggling with this, please reach out and I can help with accountability. Also, I invite you to join me for some live yoga classes through social media: follow www.facebook.com/aliveinthefire or www.instagram.com/aliveinthefireyoga for details.

~ Be aware of what you are eating and drinking right before bed. Alcohol, sugar, heavy foods, and caffeine can all disrupt our sleep patterns. While it’s tempting to cope with stress by using food and drinks even when we know they’re not “good” for us, I encourage you to dig deep and find the willpower you need to improve your rest.

~ Try yoga nidra. Yoga nidra is a form of meditation that focuses on progressive relaxation: moving through each part of the body and relaxing it. My absolute favorite yoga nidra meditation is 45 minutes long and said to be the equivalent of four hours of sleep. Look up Julie Rader’s yoga nidra, or search for one on YouTube. Usually the soothing rhythm of Julie’s voice helps me fall asleep in ten minutes or less, and I’m sure there are a lot of other great yoga nidra meditations out there.

~ Consider the root chakra. The root chakra is an energy center located at the base of the spine. It’s in charge of our feelings of security and safety, which for a lot of people is disrupted right now. You can use specific meditation, sound vibration, foods, colors, breathing techniques, and yoga poses to help balance your root chakra. I encourage you to Google “root chakra” and see what you find. Some helpful practices include: chanting the sound “LAM,” being in nature, eating grounding foods such as root vegetables, noticing the feeling of your feet on the ground, repeating a mantra like “I am safe,” and visualizing the color red around the area of your hips.

~ Create a ritual that’s all about YOU. What helps you relax? What helps you let go of tension in your body? You know yourself best, and this is a rare time when we are invited to get to know ourselves even better. Trust what your intuition is telling you.

Be willing and brave enough to ask the questions:

What would help me sleep?

What do I need right now that I’m not getting?

What’s bothering me?

What am I avoiding?

By looking head on at the things we don’t want to face, and allowing ourselves to feel the difficult emotions, we are often able to shift the energy and feel secure again.

Good sleep is directly related to feeling safe. What would help you feel safe as you wind down for bed?

I know it can be scary to look at those things, and to address fear. Remember, you are strong!