How To Be Happy #9: "But I don't want to go to bed!"
Sleeping better makes you happier. I tried to tell this to my littlest kid when she was four years old, but she wasn’t convinced. “I want to stay up like a big kid,” she says, almost every single night. She’s still not at all convinced, but I still keep making her go to bed.
I felt the same when I was little, but now that I’m (ahem) oldish, I feel totally the opposite. I love to sleep. And I love the way I feel when I’ve had a good sleep. Sleep replenishes you, it improves your memory, it rejuvenates your cells. (Also, it makes your face look better, and, quite honestly, who isn’t going to be happier if that happens?)
Do you get enough sleep? Everyone’s different, but if you’re not getting between 9 and 11 hours (for 10-13 year olds) or 8 to 10 hours (for 14-18 year olds), you’re not sleeping enough. (If you’re older than that, go do your own research.)
Sleep deprivation is one of the easiest forms of torture. And tortured people are not happy people. STOP TORTURING YOURSELF AND GET ENOUGH SLEEP.
If you have trouble getting to sleep, try these things:
Head to bed at a regular time. Having no bedtime plays havoc with your body.
Turn off your screens. You don’t need to text right until you lose consciousness. Switch the phone off at least half an hour before bedtime.
Write down your worries and all the things you want to do tomorrow on a piece of paper and then put it in a safe place. Your mind can relax and your body can get to sleep.
Learn some deep breathing exercises to relax your muscles. A great one is to breathe in for the count of four, hold for seven and then breathe out for eight counts. It feels weird, but keep going. Pretty soon you’ll be in dozey-land.
Clean sheets, fluffy pyjamas and a good pillow make getting into bed feel gorgeous. And making your bed every morning means going to bed becomes a special occasion.
A small glass of warm milk before bed helps you relax. (And of course it goes without saying you shouldn’t be drinking caffeinated drinks within six hours of bedtime.)
Do you try to stay awake late at night? Why?
What stops you from sleeping well?
How much sleep do you get?
What do you think about right before you go to sleep?
Action: Go to bed half an hour earlier tonight. See how you feel in the morning.
Want more on how to be happy? Check out the rest of Cecily Paterson's How To Be Happy blog series for more tips and advice.
Want more of Cecily's writing? You can grab a free copy of her novel, Invisible here.
Share this on Pinterest