6 Simple Yet Powerful Steps to a Better Night’s Sleep

• If you often wake up feeling unpleasant without any apparent reason, even if it’s just a few times a year, it’s important to address this.
• Negative or positive emotions can be intensified during sleep due to a lack of interruptions, unlike during the day.
• Waking up feeling consistently bad indicates you’re effectively harboring negative thoughts or feelings overnight.
• This isn’t just a psychological issue; it can lead to serious physical health problems over time.
• To prevent this, it’s crucial to implement certain practices before going to bed.

#1 Take a Cold Shower

• Shower before bedtime for better sleep quality.
• Avoid hot showers at night; opt for lukewarm in cold weather.
• Cold showers can cause alertness, potentially delaying sleep slightly, but improve overall sleep quality.
• Showers remove more than just physical dirt; they can alleviate tension and anxiety.
• The feeling of relief after showering isn’t solely due to cleanliness.
• Showering has a purifying effect on the body, which is over 70% water, a certain purification happens beyond just cleaning the skin.

#2 Don’t Sleep Right After a Meal

• Avoid sleeping immediately after eating, especially when consuming meat.
• Eat meals 3-4 hours before bedtime to ensure digestion is complete.
• Drink water before bed to aid digestion and overall health.
• Example: If you plan to sleep at 10 PM, finish your dinner by 6 or 7 PM and drink some water before going to bed to promote better digestion and sleep.

#3 Light a Lamp

• Light an organic oil lamp in your bedroom.
• Use only a cotton wick for the lamp.
• Suitable oils include sesame oil, linseed, rice bran, or olive oil.
• This practice can significantly improve the ambiance and quality of your sleep environment.

#4 Remember That Time Is Running Out!

• Constantly remind yourself of your mortality.
• Recognize that life can end at any moment, fostering a sense of urgency and reality, not fear or paranoia.
• This awareness helps eliminate trivial concerns like anger or quarrels.
• Focus on activities that truly matter and bring value to your life.
• Practice a nightly reflection: imagine your bed as your deathbed and review your day’s actions, assessing their worth in the context of a potentially ending life. “Today, the way I have handled these twenty-four hours, is it worthwhile because now I am dying?”
• This practice aims to ensure you live a meaningful, fulfilling life.

#5 Keep Things Aside

• Before going to bed, take the last three minutes to mentally set aside everything you’ve acquired in life.
• This includes not only your physical body and the thoughts in your mind but also seemingly minor possessions and concerns.
• Emphasize the importance of small items, like a personal pillow or footwear, which may seem trivial but are often given significant emotional weight.
• Also, include relationships and other emotional attachments in this process of setting aside.
• The goal is to sleep free from these attachments and burdens.
• Practicing this can result in waking up feeling lighter, more energized, and open to new possibilities.
• The idea is to sleep as ‘life’ itself, without the labels and roles we usually identify with, like gender or social status.

#6: Do Not “Head North”

• Avoid positioning your head to the north while sleeping, especially in the northern hemisphere.
• Sleeping with your head to the north can cause blood to accumulate in the brain due to the Earth’s magnetic pull, leading to disturbed sleep.
• Excessive blood flow to the brain might be risky, particularly for the elderly or those with weak brain conditions, potentially leading to hemorrhage due to delicate blood vessels.
• This effect is attributed to the horizontal position of the body in relation to the planet’s magnetic field.
• The same principle applies differently in different hemispheres: for instance, in Australia, you should not sleep with your head to the south.
• It is safer to position your head in any other direction when sleeping

This is a summarized excerpt from Sadhguru’s article on tips for better sleep. For more detailed insights, you can read the full article at Sadhguru’s official website