Mastering the mechanics of sleep transformed my lifelong struggle.

This is a follow up to my first piece I wrote on Medium titled: Snooze or Lose: 10 Sleep Secrets to Catch Those Z’s!

Let’s dive right in!

1. CBD: Smoke it, drink it, use it however you want, CBD will definitely help you relax and fall asleep easily.
2. Sleep mask: Unless your room is PITCH BLACK, you need one of these. Light is the enemy of sleep, so get yourself a sleeping mask. You’ll thank me later. FYI, get ready to start dreaming for real !
3. Stop eating three hours before bed. That’s right, three full hours ! You know what’s the best part about this ? By doing so, you will inadvertently start your Intermittent Fasting journey. Our digestive systems need at least 12 full hours of rest, give it to them, your health will thank you for it !
4. Weighted blankets: They provide a calming effect and promote better sleep by increasing feelings of comfort and security. They also help reduce anxiety, don’t ask me how, I couldn’t tell you.
5. Warming your feet before bed, either with a warm foot bath or by wearing warm socks, helps dilate blood vessels and signal to your body that it’s time to sleep. I bet you didn’t know this one !
6. Experiment with sleep positions: For example, sleeping on your left side alleviates acid reflux symptoms (but ditching dairy will eliminate those symptoms altogether, for good), while elevating your legs slightly improves circulation and reduces leg and back pain.
   I sleep on my back first, then turn. I like stretching my backbone before bed as well, hence my first position.
7. Sleep in a cool room: Do keep your feet warm, though. Studies have shown that keeping your bedroom cool (around 65°F or 18°C) promotes better sleep. Our room is often cooler than that in the winter.
8. Use pink noise (I looked up why it’s call pink noise, I still don’t get it): This ambient noise has a soothing effect and drowns out other sounds that may disrupt your sleep.
9. Try aromatherapy: Certain scents like lavender, chamomile, or vanilla have a calming effect and promote sleep. They also create a relaxing atmosphere, which is paramount to sleep well.
10. My favorite of all: Practice lucid dreaming techniques: These techniques allow me to become aware and almost control my dreams. Lucid dreaming has definitely enhanced my sleep experience and made it more restful, and fun. Yes, sleep can be fun too.

• Final Thoughts

There is no such thing as insomnia. These tips, in addition to the ones in my previous article will help anyone to a good night’s sleep.

By the way, not dreaming enough has been shown to lead to illness and depression, and you can’t dream if you’re not getting proper sleep consistently.

Ninight !

Tee.