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Six Techniques to Thrive, Sleep, Smile
Photo by Valeriia Bugaiova on Unsplash
You can create the perfect bedroom and a great routine, but if your stress levels are high, your mind is racing and you are worrying about not sleeping, worrying about work and family etc …..
Yes, you guessed it – the chance of you nodding off into a blissful deep, refreshing sleep are pretty low
When we are stressed, we are in Flight, Fight & Survive mode. Our sympathetic nervous system is switched on. It keeps us safe, alert, tuned into dangers, helps us move fast and react quickly. It aims to get us away from danger – a tiger, a manager, a client, another spreadsheet, report or delivery.
If you think about it, if you are running from a tiger, you want to put all your energy into running, so your body switches off functions that it doesn’t need like digestion and sleep.It is VERY easy to switch into this mode – we just need to think a few stressful thoughts – try it now – think about a stressful event in your day, someone who has upset you.
The alternative is what we at Help Me Sleep call “Thrive, Sleep & Smile” Mode. Our parasympathetic nervous system is switched on. You can remember that feeling of being chilled, calm and unphased by events and people around us even when everything seemed chaos.
No prizes for guessing which system you need to turn on for sleep!
But it’s a lot easier and faster to switch on Flight, Fight & Survive, than to switch over to Thrive, Sleep & Smile. But you CAN do it – and here are 5 techniques we use with Sleep Clients, and as you practice them more and more, you will get better at Thriving, Sleeping & Smiling.
Six Techniques to help you move into Thrive Sleep & Smile Mode
Breathing
First make your breathing shallow and fast – maybe through your mouth
Now change it to deep and slow – breathing in through the nose. How does that make you feel?
You can also become aware of three out breaths, notice how your breath naturally slows and deepens. How does that make you feel? Use this whenever you remember during your day.
If you breathe through your mouth, switch to nasal breathing if you can.
Eyes
First make your eyes hard and stare straight ahead – this is Foveal Vision. How does that make you feel?
Now change to a relaxed, soft, gaze. How does that make you feel?
With your relaxed soft gaze, notice how much more you can see up and down, left and right – without even having to move your eyeballs. This is Peripheral Vision. You can still be alert using peripheral vision – you don’t have to zone out, but it is a different quality of alertness. You can use Peripheral Vision as you go about your day.
Mouth
First close your mouth and push your lips together and look cross.
And now relax and smile – with your mouth and your eyes. How does that make you feel?
If you want, you can imagine you are smiling from your heart too.
Head neck, shoulders and arms
First tense all the muscles small and large and also clench your fists.
Now imagine every single muscle just relaxes – even the ones you did not even know existed. How does that feel?
ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
These might seem weird – that’s because they are – but give them a go. There’s no right or wrong answers. If you get stuck or want some more information, get in touch.
Energy Technique
This technique can help you move stress and tension quickly.
Step 1
Close your eyes.
Sense into the tension/ energy in the pit of your stomach:
o Imagine the energy has a colour – what colour is it?
o Is there a sound or taste associated with it?
o Imagine the energy is moving maybe up or down, left or right – which way is it moving?
Step 2
o Change the colour to a more relaxing, restful colour
o Add a relaxing sound – maybe the sea, and a nice taste
o Change the direction of the energy – perhaps sending it out through your toes or fingers.
How does that feel?
AUTOMATING IT AND PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Imagine what it would be like to simply be able to pull on your right ear lobe and find that you had switched over to Thrive, Sleep & Smile Mode?
Just keep practising the techniques above as you pull gently on your right ear lobe.
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Congratulations! You have just learnt some of the techniques we use with many clients – NLP Anchoring and ways to change state.
Get in touch if you would like to find out more about these techniques and other ways to fall asleep faster.
07792 447331 or hello@dev.helpmesleep.uk
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This is the first in a series of articles on how to fall asleep faster. Others in the series will include:
o Thoughts and a Busy Mind
o Great Sleep Routines
o Creating a Wonderful Sleep Environment
o Food for Sleep
