It’s time to appreciate our life for what it is, at this very moment, for the sake of sleep.
It is easy to focus on what we don’t have in life. Concentrating on the negative, such as the milestones we have not achieved, has a more intense impact on our brain than positive events. This is backed by research and it is called negative bias. Negative bias “is our tendency to not only to register negative stimuli more readily but also dwell on these events.” It can influence our mood, our decision-making and, worse of all, our sleep.
There is hope. We can outsmart negative bias when powering down for sleep. We can be grateful.
Right now, where you are, name one thing you appreciate in your life. Now, name another one. How about a third? Inhale a large breath for a four count and exhale for an eight count. Pause. Root yourself in this moment of appreciation. How do you feel?
This is a simple exercise to incorporate into your sleepcare routine. Recognize what you are grateful for and write it in a journal, allow appreciation to permeate your mind or say it out loud, send thanks into the universe. How ever you feel best to express gratitude, do it, just as long as you feel it.
Being grateful for the things around you, and of who you are in this moment, produces positive thoughts and a sense of calm. This state of tranquility mixed with acceptance makes us doze off more quickly, sleep longer and more soundly.
Power your sleep through appreciating the people in your life, the place or places you call home, your routines, your feelings, your breath. Appreciate what makes up your life. Your sleep will thank you.
