Routine ....Are you overlooking the basics? Start with sleep
The thing that has kept me grounded and able to navigate the chaos of COVID-19 is my routine.
Social media is full of recommendations advising that now is the time to practice self-care and they’re totally right. However what’s your idea of self-care and routine? What does your basic self-care and routine look like? Were the signs there already that your day to day routine and habits aren’t sustainable even before Covid-19 came to town? Are you overlooking the basics?
the what:
Land yourself in bed and lights out before 10pm. Incrementally shift your bedtime back by 15mins a week until you get to 10pm. If your schedule is inefficient for your body, energetically, you’ll always feel behind. You’ll feel like you’re perpetually trying to keep up- that there isn’t enough time in the day for what you need to do. Sound familiar?
THE how:
Incrementally shift your bedtime back by 15mins a week until you get to 10pm. Combine better sleep and earlier bedtime with an earlier, lighter dinner and great morning routine, you’ll be on your way to sleeping peacefully, waking refreshed and feeling your able to tackle the day with energy and ease
THE WHY:
Research shows that when you go to bed late and don’t get enough sleep, you train your body to produce cortisol around 8pm. Cortisol is a stimulating hormone. This is a massive disruption for your endocrine system. Energetically we want to start tomorrow on a full tank of gas. Aim for 7-9 hours sleep per night – shown to be the optimal sleep levels for adults.
more how
Eat well in advance for going to bed.(2-3 hrs.) Allow your meal to be digested before you get horizontal. Also consider making your meal smaller and easy to digest.
Optimise your bio-rhythms by listening to and honouring your body’s subtle messages. How does your body communicate end of day fatigue? If you don’t unwind, you’ll be keyed up when you go to bed.
Give yourself some time to turn your attention inward, to process the day but also rehearse the day ahead- when and how you will rise, how you’ll start the day, what you’ll eat and drink, when you’ll exercise and when you’ll relax. This helps to embed better neural pathways
Aim to be in bed and wake up at roughly the same time every night to help your internal clock keep a regular pattern. Begin to wind your bedtime routine back 15 mins per week to create an automated habit.
We know the rest…no phones, no caffeine etc.
I base my routine on Ayurveda.
The dominant energy between 10pm and 2am is Pitta. This is where energy rises to digest, metabolise and detox. Falling asleep before Pitta 10pm in your Kapha time when our body is naturally replenishing and relaxing and energy is moving down will aid an easy transition in to a deep sleep. The energy you fall asleep in becomes your dominant energy in your sleep cycle. Ideally not in Pitta. If you find a second wind after 10pm in your Pitta time, you are taking the upward energy needed for digest and detox and so borrowing against your energy needed for tomorrow.
More thoughts and mumblings coming soon if you’re interested…..