Dear Genie™ Advice Blog is for anyone seeking answers to questions on Love, Leadership, Life-Phases, or Living Your Best Life! Send me a letter with your concern via the CONTACT link. I’d love to hear from YOU! ♥
Sleepless writes:
Dear Genie,
I have a hard time going to sleep even when I am exhausted. I can’t stop thinking about stuff or turn off my brain. Most of the time I think about the past and not good memories. I don’t want to take medication to sleep because I’ve got kids and don’t want to be out of it and not able to wake up if they need me. I’m just so tired. Are there any ways I can naturally help myself get to sleep?
Dear Sleepless,
I’m feeling tired just reading your letter! It must be quite a struggle to parent when you are unable to get the rest you need. I’ve got a few ideas that may help you – but let’s talk about physical stuff first…
Have you talked to your doctor about this? If not, please do so. You’ve got to rule out medical conditions first and discuss with them any appropriate medical therapy and your concerns.
IF your doctor says natural/holistic remedies are ok, then you can try a few of these ideas:
- Cut out the caffeine in the afternoon and evening. That’s not just coffee! Sweet tea, chocolate, and most soda pops have caffeine (and sugar which can also keep you up).
- Turn off the TV and social media an hour before bed. Try to avoid movies or shows or news in the evening that upsets you and brings about these episodes of dwelling on the past.
- Meditate with music an hour before bed for at least 20 minutes. Use meditation music, Reiki music, or other calming instrumental sounds.
- Read a fantasy book at bedtime. (You’ll be thinking of it as you drift off to sleep)
- Write in a journal to get all your thoughts out before bed. If more come up as you try to go to sleep you can quickly write them down and tell yourself you will think about it more tomorrow.
- Try some herbal tea that is caffeine free and don’t add sugar or honey or carbohydrates to it. (Those create energy and that energy may keep you awake)
- Relax with a bath or shower using a calming aromatherapy bath bomb.
- Relaxing aromatherapy diffused at bedtime or EOs lightly sprayed on your pillow.
- Lavender
- Roman Chamomile
- Cedarwood
- Sandalwood
- Ylang Ylang
- Majoram
(Check these oils out on my wellness advocate page >>> Essential Oils)
- Calming crystals to place by the bedside.
- Amethyst
- Black Tourmaline
- Rose Quartz
- Angelite
- Larimer
- Hematite
These crystals can be found at local “hippie” shops, on Etsy, and online stores like HealingCrystals.com
Try one of these tricks – or even several of them. The main thing is to get in to a habit or routine of calming your mind at least an hour before bedtime.
Also, these thoughts may be popping up because they are unresolved issues. If you feel that is the case then you may want to consider therapy or spiritual counseling to help lay these issues to rest. Ignoring them will just ensure they keep coming up in your thoughts.
It may not always be the case that because you think of something or someone from the past that you are holding on to the pain of the experience. Sometimes a movie or song or TV show brings up the memory for us. Journaling those thoughts should help put them back to rest. But, if not – chances are you are still not healed from whatever is coming up and some deeper work may be needed. Mediation and connecting with your soul voice can help you see what is true.
Hope this helps and really hope you get some sleep!
♥ Genie
Genie Mathews 