CONTENTS

• Why do we have trouble falling asleep?
• Mindfulness – Mindfulness every day
• Mindfulness methods for evening relaxation

It seems that the times we live in, the location in the heart of civilized Europe, the achievements of civilization and new technologies make our lives much simpler, better, and easier. Of course, this is true to some extent; after all, we have hot water, access to food, light, medicine, etc. at our fingertips. Yet, despite so many amenities and the eradication of many diseases over the centuries, stress remains one of the inseparable feelings that accompanies almost every one of us daily.

Why do we have trouble falling asleep?

We take on more and more responsibilities, constantly rushing between work and taking the child to the next extra activity. Feelings of anxiety can be influenced by the work atmosphere or personal problems. All of this leads to us tossing and turning in bed at night, instead of calming down and falling asleep without stressful thoughts in our heads. Everything bothers us—that it's too loud or too quiet, too silent, too hard, too bright. Instead of falling asleep deeply, relaxingly, and cleansingly , we create new, stressful thoughts and problems. Falling asleep like this is more like torture than healthy rest. And sleep is so important. Sleep disorders contribute to the proper functioning of the entire body.

Mindfulness – Mindfulness every day

What do we do when we decide to go to bed early, thinking that we can finally relax and fully recharge our batteries and our minds, but the jumble of thoughts in our head doesn't allow us to? Mindfulness, that is, awareness, the ability to be in the here and now with full attention and focus on the present moment, without judging it as good or bad, can help us fall asleep. Being aware of what surrounds us and what is happening inside us right now and in this moment, without focusing on the bad emotions of the past day. We can name and visualize them, but we don't have to dwell on them. It is also admiration for the present moment - for example, the sound of the wind outside the window or a spot of light on the carpet.

Mindfulness methods for evening relaxation

• Autogenic training according to Johannes Schultz is a type of relaxation technique based on reducing muscle tension. Its primary purpose is to focus attention on physical sensations. It is based on suggestions and visualizations that help us become accustomed to the sensations emanating from our bodies. This method helps reduce tension in the body and triggers emotions, the expression of which helps us feel relief. During training, breathing calms, the heart rate stabilizes, and the sense of body weight and warmth increases.
  • We lie comfortably on the bed and close our eyes.
  • “My legs are heavy and hot,” we repeat mentally several times until we actually feel the weight and warmth.
  • Then we repeat in our minds that we feel relaxed .
  • We mentally repeat this process with other parts of the body.
• Yoga Nidra – Nidra , or sleep. This is a type of yoga practiced lying down in the most comfortable and relaxing posture, preferably in bed. It is a way to release tension in the body as much as possible. This method involves observing yourself, your body, and the thoughts that come to mind, but without judging them. It consists of two parts. During the introduction, we follow the voice and instructions of the leader. This is the time when we can relax various points in our body one by one and focus on our own feelings. Then the meditator mentally guides us to a new, calming place. Each Yoga Nidra practice can be completely different depending on the teacher.

Relaxation training should be practiced regularly. It's very important not to eat too much heavy, unhealthy food in the evening; the last meal of the day should be easy to digest and not cause a feeling of heaviness in the stomach. Another key point in evening importance training is to focus attention on yourself, without unnecessary distractions. So we turn off all kinds of media: televisions, laptops, and phones, so as not to divert our attention and not occasionally check for a new message. In the evening, sleep should be the most important thing and our attention should be focused on it, although we often prioritize extra work or another episode of the series over sleep. However, it's worth going to bed a little earlier and taking time for quiet, evening relaxation if we value true, proper regeneration and rest.