Good sleep starts in the hours before lights out
Long days, screens and worries mean you get into bed with a tired body but an active mind, and the result is nights of tossing, turning and waking up.
The good news is that learning how to relax to sleep is something you can learn. With small gestures repeated every night, your body understands that it is time to slow down. In this article we share the rituals that work best, from mindful breathing to a simple self-massage you can do at home.
Create your own bedtime ritual
The body runs on habits. If you repeat the same steps every night, in the same order and at a similar time, your body learns to associate them with sleep. That is the power of a ritual: it is not about doing lots of things, but about always doing them the same way, and it is key to knowing how to relax to sleep.
Try to go to bed and get up at the same time, at weekends too. Set aside 30 to 60 minutes before bed to switch off: turn down the noise at home, lay out your clothes for the next day and put any worries to rest.
A very useful trick is to write down on paper what you need to do tomorrow. Once it is out of your head, your mind stops going round in circles and allows itself to rest.
Breathe to calm your mind
Breathing is the simplest tool there is, and you always have it with you. When we breathe slowly and deeply, the heart rate eases, the body leaves its state of alert and that helps us sleep better.
Try this exercise once you are lying in bed:
- Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.
- Breathe in through your nose counting to four, feeling your abdomen rise.
- Hold your breath for a few seconds, without forcing it.
- Breathe out slowly through your mouth, counting to six or eight.
- Repeat five to ten times.
The key to how to relax to sleep is making the out-breath longer than the in-breath. If thoughts come up, do not fight them: just bring your attention back to the air coming in and going out.
How to relax to sleep: a simple self-massage before bed
Throughout the day we build up tension in very specific areas: neck, shoulders, hands and feet. Spending a few minutes on them before bed helps release that load and prepares the body to rest and fall asleep. There is no need to press hard: what matters is doing it calmly, breathing slowly while you massage.
Neck and shoulders
With your fingertips, make small circles from the base of your skull down towards your shoulders. Then gently squeeze the muscle of each shoulder with the opposite hand and release slowly.
Hands
Press your thumb into the palm of the other hand, moving from the wrist towards the fingers. Finish by gently stretching each finger.
Feet
Sitting on the bed, run your thumbs along the sole of your foot, from the heel to the toes. You can use a few drops of coconut oil so your hands glide more easily.
Switch off screens and prepare your bedroom
Phones, tablets and the TV keep the brain active, and their light makes it harder for the body to understand that it is night-time. Ideally, put them away at least an hour before bed. If that is hard, start with half an hour and build up gradually.
Your bedroom also has a big influence on how well you rest:
- Light: dimmed in the last hour of the day and total darkness when you sleep. Blackout curtains or an eye mask make all the difference.
- Temperature: cool. A room that is too warm is one of the most common causes of waking up at night.
- Quiet and order: a tidy space feels calm. If there is noise, try earplugs or a soft, steady sound.
- Scent: a few drops of lavender on your pillow create an atmosphere that invites you to relax.
A light dinner, herbal tea and a warm shower
What you do in the hours beforehand matters too. A heavy dinner makes your body work on digestion just when it should be resting. Try to eat something light, a couple of hours before going to bed: it helps you relax to sleep.
Avoid coffee, black tea and caffeinated soft drinks from mid-afternoon onwards. Alcohol may make you feel sleepy, but it makes your rest lighter and more broken.
Instead, make yourself a relaxing herbal tea with chamomile, linden, lemon balm or lavender. Drinking it slowly, sitting down and away from screens, is a small ritual of calm in itself.
A warm shower or bath before bed helps release muscle tension. When you get out, your body temperature drops slightly, a natural signal that helps sleep arrive.
Thai Massage, an ally for your rest
When tension builds up week after week, home rituals are sometimes not enough. A professional massage helps release knots, improves circulation and brings a feeling of deep relaxation that many people notice that very night when they go to sleep.
Traditional Thai Massage combines pressure, gentle stretches and work on the body’s energy lines. It is a way to truly switch off: during the session the mind quietens and the body remembers what it feels like to be calm, and that is essential to learning how to relax to sleep.
Start tonight
You do not need to apply all these tips at once. Choose two or three, turn them into your ritual and give them a couple of weeks. Little by little you will notice that you fall asleep sooner and wake up with more energy.
And when you want to treat yourself to even deeper rest, we look forward to seeing you at Thai Spa Massage, Carrer de Girona 148, Barcelona. Book your massage by calling 937 617 025 or on WhatsApp at 691 076 128.
