Methods for Better Sleep
Before an individual can become a regular and potent dreamer they must first learn to fall to sleep. It sounds easy to most of us but for some people getting a good nights sleep is often a troublesome and frustrating process. The natural occurence when one cannot achieve sleep is to become frustrated and angry and therefore prolonging the state of consciousness. The less time we spend sleeping, the less chance we get to dream. Here is a list of ways to achieve a sound night of sleep so that you can enjoy a night of colourful dreaming.
1. Make sure that your last meal is between the hours of 5.30pm and 7.30pm the earlier the better. Eating a late supper will take a long time to digest and digestion involves an increased metabollic state which will in turn disrupt the process of sleep. If your body is still processing your food it cannot shut itself down to relax.
2. Take steps to aid digestion after you have eaten by taking a short work of upto 5-15 minutes. Alternatively a light excercise would also help.
3. Avoid any exciting or stimulating activities in the hours before you go to bed or in the late afternoon. This will place your body in a state of high tension and your body will find it difficult to unwind before bed.
4. Television, although some programs may seem or feel relaxing try not to watch too much of it because it has a high impact on your senses. On the outside you may feel chilled out and calm, even sleepy but on the inside your nervous system will be finding it all very exciting. Television to your nervous system is like christmas day to a young child!
5. Without sounding too much like an evil dictator, if you like to read before bed try to do it in a different room to that of your bedroom. Its important to just associate your bedroom the best that you can. Continuity helps the mind to work at its best sometimes.
Suggestive Technique
Suggestive techniques are basically training your mind to think in a certain way to achieve the desired effect you desire and is one of my personal favourites. An example of at Suggestive technique can be found in one of the simplest methods used to boost confidence. If you look into a mirror and tell yourself with sheer confidence that you are strong, attractive and successful it stands to reason that if done for long enough your mind will take on board these messages and you will find yourself becoming each one of these things over due time thanks to that programming of your mind. It is the same for dreaming.
"Do not under estimate the power of suggestion!"
1. If possible its better to get someone such as a close friend or partner to help you with these suggestive techniques. Get them to spend a few minutes in the morning and a few mintutes at night before bed telling you that you will dream tonight and fall to sleep immediately. Continue this with phrases like: "When you wake, you will remember last nights dreams. If nobody is available to help you simply repeat this process in a mirror.
2. Another wait to back up method 1 is to write down on cards what you have just told yourself and place them around your house so that you constantly take notice of them throughout the day. Write stuff along the lines of: "I will have a relaxing nights sleep tonight!" and "When I get into bed I will fall immediately to sleep!". These along with the powers of verbal suggestion your mind will soon take the hint and you'll be sleeping soundly in no time at all.
Other Things to Consider
1. Try and make your bedroom as comfortable as possible. Dreaming can only occur when your asleep and to be asleep you have to be relxed and free of care. Try using soft lighting and aroma sticks and possibly light candles. Keep the room tidy and free of clutter so you can walk in, lay down and relax leaving all your worries at the door.
2. Try to follow a constant pattern of sleep, get up early and go to bed early and repeat this every night to keep a stable and repetitive sleep wake cycle. This way you will find it alot easier to fall to sleep and chase those dreams you are after.
3. Avoid stimulants such as nicotine and coffee as well as other highly stimulating products such as energy drinks or sugar based foods. Alcohol is also a no go as even though it can help you to fall to sleep as it is a depressant it removes your ability to experience REM sleep, the stage at which most dreaming occurs.
4. Warm milk is always a good drink to have before bed as is many other dairy products but solids are not reccomended as they take longer to digest. Dairy products contain tryptophan which is an amino acid that your body uses to turn into melatonin and serotonin. These two chemicals are both thought to induce sleep.