5 strategies for calming your mind so you can sleep well

I’m hearing more and more from the leaders I work with that they are struggling to sleep through the night. They manage to get to sleep just fine but are waking through the night with ideas, solutions to problems or just their mind racing through different scenarios.

If this is happening to you, it could be because your brain is in over-drive from the psychological demands and constant technological input from your working day.

Rapid advancement in technology and the fast-paced nature of our world and workplaces means your brain may have gotten used to being in over-drive mode.

During the day, it’s constantly working to solve problems, multi-task and is often absorbing information from a number of different devices and modes – VR, laptop screens, email, and mobile phone, on top of the usual sensory visual and auditory sounds in the immediate environment around you.

The nature of work has shifted from brawn to brain. At the end of a hard day’s manual labour, it’s easy to rest and nourish the body with a soothing bath and a substantial meal. But how are you resting your mind after the psychological, technological and emotional overload of leadership? And let’s not forget the demands of life, lack of exercise, and over-reliance on technology for pleasure once work has ended.

If you’re expecting your brain to rest at night so you wake feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, you have to work at helping it rest - just as you’d help your body rest after a hard day’s physical labour.

Here are five strategies to help you.

5 strategies to help you switch off and sleep better

1. Take frequent screen breaks throughout the day

Ideally, every 40 minutes you need to be taking a break from work and from screens. Make sure you schedule breaks – they’re not magically going to happen! And make a point of spending just five minutes away from your screens. Stretch your body a little, move around, play some music, or just sit in a quiet space a take a few mindful breaths.

2. Stop multitasking

Multi-tasking is not a productive way to work. Focus on one thing at a time. If you’re in a meeting, avoid sending or answering emails, or completing other admin tasks at the same time. Teach your mind to focus on one thing at a time by being present with what’s in front of you.

3. Begin and end your day without your phone

Are you guilty of immediately reaching for your phone to check emails as soon as you wake up? Try to avoid reaching for your phone as soon as you open your eyes. Instead, try moving around, having breakfast and rehydrating before you look at your phone. Even better if you can get outside for exercise or a walk.

Similarly, at the end of the day avoid looking at your phone for at least two hours before you go to bed. If ideas pop into your mind about things you need to do the next day and people you need to speak with, make a note with pen and paper and follow up after a good night’s sleep.

4. Digitally detox

When you’re not in work, try to stay away from your phone and other technology for longer periods like at the weekend. Leave your phone somewhere out of sight and reach, or place it on airplane mode so you won’t be tempted by notifications.

5. Rewild your life

Get outdoors as much as you possibly can. Engage with nature and spend time finding joy in the natural world as opposed to a screen. Research has shown that just 30 minutes in nature every day will boost your well-being, your mood, and will give your brain a break from technology.