A Good Night's Sleep

A good night's sleep. 

I've been struggling to get a good night's sleep lately. I don't have too much trouble actually falling asleep, but I can guarantee that come around two in the morning I'll be wide awake unable to fall back asleep. 

I was finding myself dragging throughout the day, and my spirits were low. I knew it was time to take action. I did a little research, and put my plan in place. I was pleasantly surprised when I woke up after more than eight hours of restful sleep. I felt so much better the next day. 

The first thing I did differently was to stay away from caffeine. I had usually had my last glass of tea with dinner, but I thought I would stick with water for a few days to see if it made any difference. Luckily, I've never depended on coffee to start my day, although it would probably be okay to have caffeine that early in the morning. 

Around 9:00 I stopped watching TV and put my phone and i pad away. I fixed myself a cup of herbal tea that promotes relaxation, and spent a little time journaling. I had read that putting your thoughts on paper before bed helped clear your mind for sleep. 

Instead of catching up on Facebook, I started a new novel The Atomic  City Girls, another historical fiction which seems to be my favorite these days. I set the temperature cooler than usual, diffused some lavender, and when I turned out the lights listened to my D-wave CD. 

I'm happy to report that my efforts resulted in over eight hours of restful sleep. I felt much better in the morning, and had an enjoyable day. I wish, though, I could say that completely solved the problem. 

I replicated the routine to some degree the next night, and although I slept a similar amount according to my Fitbit, it did show more times awake. However, overall I feel much better, and I'm going to continue winding down each night before I actually hit the sack. Hopefully, I will get better sleep over time.