When the world is on your shoulders - How do you go to Sleep?

When the worries of life just keep on coming how can you calm yourself enough to sleep. Whether your worried about finances, life, family, friend, health or your job it can play on your mind. You never really relax, when you start to actively think about what is worrying you the butterflies in your stomach start to do the cha cha. Your breath gets faster, if you even glance to your problems your heart starts to get faster and your almost in a panic attack. I've had many a issue that just stays in the front of my mind. That I have worried myself sick about. Sometimes you can resolve it and other times its out of your control, but either way it plays on your mind until it has been worked through.

Throughout the day the stress of the worry is a burden, but when your trying to sleep its a downright pain in its own way. When the lights are off and your in your warm bed, eyes closed in the quiet trying to unwind is the time when any problems come to the front of your mind full blast and make sleep all but impossible. Sleep is so important, even more so when you are emotional about things as it is what fuels you even more than food, A good sleep is regenerative and puts you in a good position to start another day.

So when the world is on your shoulders, or more literally your head, what can you do to shut it out long enough to sleep and start it all over again the next day. With the world seeming to become a more and more stressful place I felt that I could share some of the things I have done to help my mind relax a tad. Some of these are not just for sleep, but can be applied to anytime of the day.

Try and get lost in something, read a book, watch some TV, play a game, search the Internet or while away the time on pinterest creating the perfect boards that you can look back on in wanton lust.
Sometimes its all about distraction, keeping your mind busy and away from what is upsetting you so much. It can be a 50/50 solution as you may find your mind wandering back on occasions, but some time away from an issue can be quite revealing, and can even lead to a solution.

 Have a nice bath, add some bubble, a few candle and even a glass of wine, or whatever drink is you tipple. Have a nice relax and sooth your muscles. Remember that we are all entitled to a break and that the world is not all about the problems. Take some time for yourself, alone time is allowed and though the problems may not melt away like the bubbles, you can allow yourself to forget about them and focus on yourself for an hour or two.

 Take a breath, when you start to let it all get on top of you take a few minutes and breathe. Take some deep breaths (at least 15), concentrate on on your breathing, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to make each breath last a little longer, like a mini game. It will help you to refocus you attention and help you to calm down. It will allow you the time you need to calm down and hopefully realise that whatever is the cause of you worries, it shouldn't hurt you.

Write it all down, EVERY WORD that has you in knots, create a list of sorts of your worries/problems. Once its on paper, read it over at least twice. Having it out of your head and in front of you will make it seem more manageable. Think of solutions to the problems and every time you solve on, cross it out. It will be very satisfying as you see the list get smaller and smaller. It will help you to see that the smaller issues were just adding to the pile and that without the little one the bigger ones will seem a little more manageable. Writing it in list form with help you to be organised and to compartmentalise a little.

Force your brain to think about other things, happy things. If you won £500,000, how would you spend it, down to the last penny. Many a times I have drifted off halfway through this exercise. Think about writing a book, imagine some character or places and how you would describe them. This is basically making your own daydream, but it has worked for me a lot. It can be hard at the beginning but after a while you need to start thinking of more scenarios for you to imagine.




Other little things, such as don't drink coffee or coke after 7, keep yourself busy, don't stay in your home, get out and have a walk or meet some friends, can also help to forget the worries and sleep.

Try not to dwell on the bad, thinking of things getting worse or imagining even worse scenarios will not help. Remember that scenarios are just that scenarios, they are not life and will only make you worry more about things that may never ever happen. We can not control everything in our lives, but we can control how we deal with them. Worrying will only add more stress and ultimately cause more issues, maybe even health ones. Take each day as it comes, each hour or each minute if that is easier for you. Living in your own head is not healthy for you or anyone who loves you. There is always someone out there that you can talk to about whatever is on your mind. Never bottle it up, sharing is a good way to unburden yourself, just like writing it down.

Whatever life throws at you, good or bad that these little tips help you to relax and forget your worries, even if only for a moment, we all need some peace.