Avoiding Insomnia And Insanity In 2018

In 2017, the world at large threw us for a dramatic loop, as we fielded daily post-apocalyptic news stories that looked more like a nightmarish doomsday world than the real world we had been living in.
We did our best to manage the stress, yet those adrenalin-fueled curve balls kept  furiously flying in. As we pieced together the year, most of us felt the post-traumatic stress of 2017 manifesting in some form of insomnia or anxiety.  As we turn the page and leap into 2018, with a fresh heart and open mind, i thought we’d take a look at some lifestyle tools that’ll help you hold your own in the face of whatever comes your way. Here is my guide for avoiding insomnia and insanity in 2018.

Make Your Bedroom A Phone-Free Zone
Just because those dreaded news alerts keep chiming around the clock doesn’t mean that you need to engage in every breaking story, and especially not right before bedtime.  Your bedroom should be a sanctuary.  Besides the nightmarish inducing quality of the news, a recent Harvard study showed that the little glowing light on our phone screens is the biggest insomnia culprit of all:  “It’s our exposure to this artificial light, particularly in the evening between the timing of sunset and when you normally go to bed, that’s dramatically changed the timing of our endogenous circadian rhythm.”
Keep A Nighttime Ritual

Besides removing the artificial light of your LED screens, another way to encourage healthy sleep is by creating an evening ritual for yourself that will let you know the day is officially done. As our to do lists grow, often times we struggle with knowing when to put it all down. Carve out a regular evening activity that has nothing to do with work, such as a hot shower, a cup of tea, light reading, stretching, or even a nighttime walk. This wind down time will signal to your body that the day has officially come to a close.
Don’t Check Your Email First Thing In The Morning

The fastest way to lose control of your own day is to instantly hand it over to someone else. When we check our email first thing in the morning, our days become a laundry list of answering other people’s demands, which is the fastest way to lose your personal sense of power.  By taking the time to create your own intentions and/or your own to do list before heading straight to your inbox, you give yourself the opportunity to begin the day on your terms.
Manage Stress Levels Throughout The Day

Many of us ambitious types find ourselves burning the candle at both ends in an effort to accomplish as much as possible. This can lead to premature burn-out and fatigue (not to mention signs of aging!). Taking breaks throughout the day, like a 30-minute fresh aired walk or a 20-minute mid-day meditation, will help lower cortisol levels and actually increase your endurance and efficiency throughout the course of the day.
Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise is one of the key factors to lowering stress and promoting healthy sleeping patterns. Many of us feel too fatigued at the end of a day to bother hitting the gym. However, just a quick 30-minute workout can quiet the mind and help you let go of the day, making room for the sweetest of dreams. Goodnight insomnia!