Renewal Labs: Become more resilient to stress with sleep

THE MONTH OF MAY

We all know that the months of May and June can be really difficult. Exams, recitals and important performances are coming up. All sorts of pressures are probably creeping up, making it difficult to see the bigger picture. 

Sometimes we feel that our final recital or final exam is the world to us. Imagine it goes brilliantly, probably we will feel at the top of our game. Now imagine it doesn't go as you expected, what does it mean to you? is it the end of the world? 

If it means the world to you, there is no point in trying to downplay it. That can be a great thing. It can bring focus to your practice, motivation to do your best and energy when performing. However, it could have a downside if we don't know how to manage the pressure we put onto ourselves. 

In this entry I will write about different strategies that will help protect us from the effects of stress and anxiety.

There is four major areas worth taking care of. These are sleep, exercise, nutrition and social life. The first one, and my favorite one, is sleep. I am not going to dig into the benefits of sleep and the consequences of not sleeping enough.By now, you will probably know. However, if you would like to know more about it, there is a great book called Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker.

What I am going to offer are some strategies to bring restfulness into your bedtime so you can promote a better night's sleep.

PROMOTE A BETTER NIGHT'S SLEEP

1. Begin by making the next day's to-do list. Then make sure you put the list aside. You will probably feel more peaceful about tomorrow, as you know what you will need to do from the start of the day. Also, you will leave behind the mental effort that keeps you in vigilance-anticipation mode.

2. Start to prepare for bed. Spend a few minutes in transition by breathing, meditating or reading.

3. Listen to soothing music to calm your nervous system and your mind. If as a musician this doesn't help, you can always listen to a podcast or a talk. 

4. Set a mood for relaxation, maybe by dimming the lights, or even lighting a candle. When our environment is restful and peaceful, so are we.

5. Brew a warm herbal tea an hour or more before bed as it will help you wind down from your day. I would recommend not to drink it just before bed as your sleep might be disrupted by a bathroom break.

6. Perform a few stretches or do some gentle yoga. Simple head and neck rolls will help melt the tension and anxiety from the day. Check this YouTube channel for Yoga videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEi1foUiGObzzQM3QA2H5A

You are now ready for a good night's sleep.

In the next entry I will talk about exercise and nutrition. 

REFERENCES

This entry was based on the book: The Telomere Effect by Blackburn, E. & Epel, E.