Welcome back on this Thursday readers! As we continue to adjust to our ever changing world in these current times you may notice you are having trouble sleeping at night. You are surely not alone. With all the added stress, fear, and anxiety it is understandable that it can be hard to unpack all that and try to rest. Your thoughts get spinning and then before you know it the clock says 3 am and have to be up in 2 hours. It can be very draining and have an affect on your  well being. Lack of sleep, real restful sleep, can  lower your ability to think clearly, be patient with those around us, and can really deplete us over time. This is why sleep can be so important and finding a nightly routine that works for you can be a great way to make a positive change in your life. As for myself, I put away my phone about an hour before bed and try to keep a consistent bedtime every night. Some may like to listen to music while trying to fall asleep, others do yoga, and some like to read. Finding what works for you is key.

Having a nightly routine can make all the difference.

Below are a couple videos with different ways we can change our current nightly routines that could lead us to find more restful sleep. Who doesn’t want that, am I right?! Improving your sleep has many positive effects on your body and mind. If you find you are one of many that is having an issue with sleep during this time, I recommend trying some of these tips tonight and see if some of them may work for you.

This video is a Head Space series called, Sleepcast. They are stories of different places that are described in a way that can help lull you off to dream land with the low tone and white noise in the back ground. Once you start listening, you will be asleep in no time. Give one of the many Sleepcast episodes a try tonight and see if it doesn’t help you drift of to dream land.

Many people are having issues with sleep during these uncertain times and it makes sense why with all that we are dealing with on a daily basis. There is a great article I found that is worth a read about sleep problems during this situation we are in on The Sleep Foundation  website. This site also has other great tips and advice on ways to improve your sleep habits and get more restful sleep at night. Check it out! Whether you had sleep issues before we all started isolating ourselves and working from home, or just since these changes came about, this site has tips to help you find your better evening of slumber. Remember, don’t stress about sleep. Everyone has a few nights where they may not sleep well and that is normal. You may even experience a few nights of poor sleep when starting a new nightly routine and  this is also normal.  However, with some simple measures you can get the sleep you need and improve your well-being during these uncertain times. We can’t control what’s happening in the world right now, but we can control our behaviors. We have the ability to change our sleep habits and get the rest we need during these uncertain times.

Sleep helps boost your immune system and improves your mental health.

I hope that these tips and videos help you get more sleep as well as restful sleep. We all need a good nights sleep during these overwhelming times in our lives. Taking some time to create a sleep routine and using some other creative solutions, like the ones listed above, can help you get the rest you need to stay healthy and positive. So get cozy in bed and relax your mind and let yourself drift off to sleep. I wish you all the sweetest of dreams this evening and hope that you find the rest you deserve. I will be taking a long self-care weekend for myself to recharge and have some quiet reflection. I will however, be back on Monday with more tips and suggestions to help you find your happy place! Take care of yourself and each other out there. We are all in this together.

Please remember to wash your hands, stay home if you can, practice social distancing and wear a mask to protect the most vulnerable among us.

I am writing this blog to be helpful to you all out there during this turbulent time and am looking for your feedback. Please feel free to leave your comments, questions and suggestions under the Contact Me tab at the top of the page. You can subscribe to this blog by clicking on the Subscribe button in the lower right corner. Just enter your email address and receive Self-Care Corner in your inbox every morning! Isn’t that wonderful?

In addition, you can now find Self-Care Corner on Twitter @selfcarecorners, where I will be posting daily affirmations and ways to cope with these changing times. I hope this will help others feel less alone, more relaxed and more empowered to practice self-care.