Getting a good night’s sleep is all about relaxing. Your body may be ready for rest by the time you go to bed but your mind may still be in high gear. You are either mulling over the day’s stresses or trying to get a grip on tomorrow’s worries before they get here. Relaxing the mind may be difficult, but it is necessary in order to get the rest you need. I emphasize rest because you may sometimes sleep but do not rest.

You get your body ready for bed by bathing, brushing your teeth, and putting on comfortable pajamas. Since your mind is the most difficult to get settled, you may have to begin earlier in the day preparing for the nights rest. There may be some serious lifestyle changes that need to be made in order to condition your mind to rest regularly.

Here are some tips to help you get started today:

Stop worrying. There is a tediousness about worry that unnecessarily consumes our time, energy, and rest. Jesus Christ told his followers, “So don‘t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today‘s trouble is enough for today.” This statement is found in Matthew 6:34 NLT. Jesus often spoke to his disciples about not worrying. Being in a frequent state of worry will not increase your stature or your productivity even the least amount. Make sure, in your busyness, that you don‘t borrow tomorrow‘s troubles to go along with today‘s.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff…and it’s all small stuff.” This phrase made popular by Richard Carlson in his book by the same name published in 1997, is still one of the best pieces of advice ever stated. When put into practice, it reduces stress in your body as well as your mind. Life is full of little inconveniences. If we allow it, these small things can build to an eruption of stress.

Another timeless bit of wisdom is the Serenity Prayer. Said to have been written by Reinhold Niebuhr, the wisdom of this prayer can be applied to every area of your life. Take care of the things you can and let go of the rest. If you practice this letting go consistently, then the chances of your mind being over loaded before bedtime will decrease dramatically.

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. (Wikipedia, Serenity Prayer)

Once you understand that there are precious few things in your daily life that require worry, the battle of sleeplessness is almost won.
Guilt and Grudges. Most of the stress of the mind is brought on by none other than self. You feel guilty about things you said or did or left unsaid or undone throughout the day. As a result, way too much time is spent in the coulda, shoulda, woulda mode. If you can make amends, do that as soon as possible. Let go of everything else.

Grudges can also be controlled. Holding on to a grudge or allowing bitterness to take root in your mind is the most detrimental act you could indulge in. Bitterness is a self inflected injury on many levels. You face many choices everyday. Forgiveness should be a priority choice each time the opportunity arises. The extra weight of a grudge is extra weight that you carry needlessly. Many times people hold on to them for so long, they become a security blanket or an old and dear friend. They have no idea what it would be like to be rid of the bitterness and anger, so they hold on.

Be grateful, think beautifully. No matter how trying the day has been, there is something in each day that you can be grateful for. Throughout the busyness of your day you may have missed a ‘grateful moment’. It may have been the smile of a passerby, a beautiful sunset, or a cool drink of water on a hot day. Reflect back over your day and look for something good and beautiful to dwell on. Think on these things as you lie down. Fill your thoughts with beautiful images, favorite things, and the people you love.

Taking the steps above will clear your conscience so that a good night’s sleep will become routine for you.