I still don’t know how the “Magic Moonlight Library” sleep show ends. I guess that’s the point. Sleep Radio is exactly what it sounds like: podcasts designed to help you fall asleep. Or maybe I heard “The End” but never realized it; Headspace is a mental health app with audio content that slightly remixes its bedtime stories every night so anxious sleepers like me can’t get through it. Keep track of time by memorizing stories. (I can confirm that it’s sneaky, but effective.)
I started Headspace’s 18-session “Finding Your Best Sleep” course in April, looking for strategies to quiet my worry-prone mind and fall asleep faster. The courses include short videos and guided meditations, divided into three modules: Understand Your Sleep; Try Something New; Practice, Practice, Practice.
For nearly three weeks, I spent about 10 minutes every night taking in all of the material the program had to offer, even optional bonus videos that had nothing to do with me, including one about sleeping comfortably during pregnancy and working shifts. This extra perspective helps me categorize my sleep habits and areas I want to improve.
While not part of the course, membership includes 45 minutes of sleep broadcasts as well as other bedtime tools such as:
- Call for help at night: I used this feature a few times when I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t go back to sleep. “Racing Mind SOS” to guide movement trajectories comes in handy.
- Sleep music and radio: “Cave Winds” and Rain Radio are particularly relaxing.
- Soundscape: “Indoor Fireplace” and “Cabin Downpour” are some of my favorite cozy background noise tracks.
- White noise and sleep sounds: The subtle frequencies of green noise work every time.
- The wind stops: “Deep Rest” is my go-to song after a stressful day.
Headspace costs $12.99/month with a one-week free trial, or $5.83/month and $69.99/year with a two-week free trial. Post-secondary students can join for 83 cents per month or $9.99 per year.
By design, not every tool in Find Your Best Sleep is right for me. For example, worry time, the practice of limiting your worries to a dedicated period of time each day, only made me more restless. The goal of the course was to find the sleep hygiene method that worked best for me, and that was exactly what happened. Here are five of my favorite sleep strategies I learned from Headspace.
Protect your sleep
This program encouraged me to put into practice what I already knew to be true: When I sleep better, life is better.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults ages 18 to 60 need at least seven hours of sleep each night. If I get less than eight points, the next day’s experience is like wading through mud. Through proper rest, I can become a better daughter, sister, friend, and employee. Not only am I more productive at home and at work, I am also kinder and happier.
So why is it so difficult to achieve this important element of health? The course urged me not to prioritize sleep, but to protect it—respect it, protect it, and organize the rest of my life to accommodate it, not the other way around.
When there don’t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish what needs to be done, sleep is an easy sacrifice. Sometimes I still have to force myself to let go of tasks that feel imminent and put sleep first. As if magically, a good night’s sleep leaves me energized and more productive the next day.
Sleeping space is sacred – including the bed
I know that a calm bedroom environment is essential for restful sleep. The CDC says catching z in a cool, dark, quiet and comfortable place is ideal. A TV in the bedroom is unwelcome and screen time should be cut off at least 30 minutes before bed, especially when blue light is involved.
However, Headspace stresses that the bed itself should prohibit any activity other than sleeping. This means no eating, working, or rolling around in bed. This way, your brain will associate your bed with sleeping, rather than eating, email, or social media.
We’ve all been there, but your bed shouldn’t be a place where you toss and turn in mental anguish, thinking about yesterday’s mistakes and tomorrow’s to-do list. If trying to fall asleep makes your mind wander and you’re still awake after 20 minutes or so, Find Your Best Sleep recommends getting up and doing relaxing activities in another room until you feel sleepy.
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Good sleep starts in the morning
Taking the time each night to prepare for the next morning has become second nature to me. Lay out your gym clothes and pack lunch to make the day less hectic. But before Headspace, I hadn’t thought about how to prepare myself for a good night’s sleep throughout the day.
Because your wake-up time controls your circadian rhythm, or body clock, simply waking up at a consistent time every morning (yes, including weekends) will allow you to fall asleep at your preferred bedtime. Morning sun exposure can also help.
I’m not usually a coffee drinker in the afternoon, but intentionally limiting my latte to before noon helps me relax earlier in the evening. I also now eat dinner earlier to give me more time to digest before bed. I make my bed more diligently in the morning, which makes turning down a ritual at night. I’ve even started putting together my pajamas in the morning and looking forward to finding other ways to make my daytime nights easier.
Settle down with a story
Mom, thank you for always reading me to sleep; always keeping me a safety blanket of storytelling. However, when I’m reading on my Kindle or iPad in bed, even in dim or warm light mode, I’m still staring at the screen and can eliminate distractions with just one tap. Reading physical books means my bedside lamp is always on, and when I listen to audiobooks in the dark, I find myself struggling to stay awake and listen.
This is where Headspace’s Sleep Broadcast saves the world. I still enjoy reading at night, but once I’m in bed it’s time to listen to an intentional snooze story, one that’s enjoyable enough to distract me but unreal enough that I don’t mind falling asleep in the middle of the night With. My favorite part is that each sleep show begins with a relaxing meditation to calm the body before drawing one’s attention into the story.
work hard, sleep hard
I’m not saying you have to exhaust yourself to get a good night’s sleep – although I definitely sleep better the night after exercising. Instead, Headspace taught me to strive for a good night’s sleep. Sleep is both an important bodily function and a fragile goal to achieve.
My sleeping habits can get off track very quickly, and I’d be lying if I said I’ve integrated the tips I’ve learned over the past few months into my sleep hygiene seamlessly and consistently. But after the nights I survived, the days that followed were brighter. This reminds me that it’s time to pick out my pajamas for tonight.
For more information on establishing healthy sleep habits:
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