Have trouble sleeping? I cannot calm myself down sometimes, making me hard to concentrate and develop obsession toward bad stuff. If you are like me, read this post to help yourself to look inside.
Why need meditation?
Anxiety and depressions is the issue of all people, not just a few ill people. Whether you notice or not, less sleep, addictions, procrastination are all signs of anxiety. Depression includes not wanting to go to work on Mondays, less smile in general , messed up desk, weight increase over a decade. It all happens to me without even noticing at the moment, but it is definitely noticeable in long term. I have became lazier, less happy, and messier as years go by in my 20’s and 30’s. Often, I think about my past experiences (i.e. guilt, shame, regret etc) and whenever that depresses me, I tend to rely on shopping, binge-eating, listening to music without paying attention, at late night. During the days, I tend to waste time; I spend more time to think about doing instead of doing it. So, I feel weak although I am overweight and I tend to be losing the game whenever I meet people, being anxious and selfish. Stress drives me crazy sometimes and I get lonelier as I grow older. Less energized for new things that awaits me and my life lose its points and direction.. So, I wondered what can solve all these and return me back to time I was truly free?
Searching the Web
My biggest problem is sleep so I searched for videos to solve insomnia and almost all of them suggest meditating. Meditation, it is just breathing in, hold it for 10 seconds, and breathing out, in its most simple terms. Well. sounds simple. OR, Thinking that sunlight is surround you from your head to toe. (Image training)
Also, a “-explained” series in Netflix proved the effectiveness of meditation in increasing brian areas of empathy, helping to ease anxiety and depression, giving it more trustworthiness to power of meditation. Aside from too much caffeine, I think meditating could help me fall asleep faster and sleep deeply, which in turn, help me function better during the day.
Also, my problem is I get anxious by little daily events like going to work, or school, going to restaurants. Basically (whenever I get to see strangers.) To reduce anxiety, it is important you get enough rest all the time, and know how to control your mind whenever your anxiety kicks into high level. I think positive thinking comes important at this point, because anxiety is basically inner fear.
Depression on the other hand, create a mess in relationships. You try to fix other people, when you are depressed, although you really have problems within. This may worsen your loneliness. So it is important you practice when you are alone to de-stress so that you mindfully have enough thought and relaxed mind to treat others with kindness.
Another problem with depression is you drop out of things, fearing of failure. Things like marriage, school, work are all important but, when you are depressed, these are the things you want to give up first since your fear is greater if pain is greater by losing them. It is important to notice fear is all inside of you, meaning it is not always rational and it depends greatly on your health (food and exercise level). Try to exercise more and eat healthy food, staying away from alcohol , especially: are my serach results.
How to Meditate
Well, There are tons of sources you can search on web how to do it. Here’s some options I FOUND:
- Voice guides can be helpful when you are beginning to meditate. Set up a meditation app and try it for a week in a comfortable spot.
- Body scan, which is looking into your body part separately might be best way to do it without any objects around you.
- Mentra meditation means to repeat a word underneath your breath until you find peacefulness.
- You can also combine exercise with meditation such as yoga, tai-chi and qui gong. While intense cardiac exercises excite you, these exercises will calm you down, taking you back to peace.
These will all help you to spend your time to refuel for tomorrow’s long day at work.
Believe or not, you need ENOUGH break time with meditation to function better in the future.
Food for depression and anxiety
Balanced diet, healthy food can help you fight depressions. Binge eating on snacks, instant food may have exhausted you and cause depressions. Here is some of suggestions.
- Eggs – with yolk. The protein provided by eggs helps stabilize blood sugar and the yolks contain B vitamins, which are proven to lessen the severity of depression’s symptoms.
- Cold water fish. …
- Nuts and seeds. …
- Grains. …
- Low-fat dairy.
“Foods naturally rich in magnesium may, therefore, help a person to feel calmer. Examples include leafy greens, such as spinach and Swiss chard. Other sources include legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Foods rich in zinc such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks have been linked to lowered anxiety.”
Depression and anxiety is very dependent on your everyday eating habit. You will think differently if you eat better.
Routine to going to your bed
You may have heard circadian rhythm. Sleep is rhythmic habit, so if you consistently keep time of your sleep, your circadian rhythm is set properly and you automatically will be able to feel sleepy.
Evening walks, I find by experience, make you relaxed and less full in stomach.
Routine like brushing teeth, doing a mask pack will help you less worrisome.
Comfortable bed, well, may not seem obvious, is important. You need to find a place that is dark enough and soft mattress and pillow will help.
Relaxing bath circulate your blood faster, and you feel more warm enough to sleep.
Heavy food concentrate your blood to stomach and will eventually make you unhealthy.
Blue light makes your melatonin level dISTURBED making you hard to recognize “it’s time to sleep”
Hard training might make your body too sore to sleep.
Alcohols and smoking may ease you but does not help you sleep. eventually destroying your health. Don’t get into this bad habit.
Caffeine in the morning won’t affect your sleep but caffeine at night will bother your brain chemicals at some NIGHT times, depending on your body condition of the day.
Most importantly, stress, such as test coming up,which you did not study for, a fight with a friend, missing your past lover at night time can be really be harmful to your sleep. leave it to next morning or try to prevent it by solving it during the day.
What happens you did all these routines and can’t sleep still?
Here is a few emergency tips.
Besides, taking occasional melatonin (sleep nutrient), I personally find these helpful.
Reading to sleep
I find readings or listening to audiobook really helping to sleep. On and on reading and audiobook play without a mind to read closely will help you sleep. There are bunch of self-help book available on web. I suggest getting physical copy of books since e book can produce blue light. Also , chatting to sleep is very bad habit for your deep sleep. You make more mistakes and say more needless things to say because of your moodiness. Long term relationships will be hard to sustain if you do talk at night. Keep yourself free at night. I suggest self-help books because it is empathetic and makes you think you are not alone with these problems. Also, it is easily worded making you less stressed.
Watching vlog or Youtube
With advance of Youtube, it is easier to relax. Since these vlog are not made by professional to attract you, it tendS to be more relaxing and boring. You can take advantage of these characteristics to make you fall asleep faster. I I don’t suggest haul videos because you can binge shop during the night. Game contents as well, won’t help much by exciting you. Music does not help either since it is loud. I find these contents especially helping.
- Animal
- Travel
- Cooking
- Make up
Summary
How was my tips. I hope to help more with these topics sicn eit is problem of everyone and me.I hope you have nice sleep and truly good morning. SMILE AND KEEP CALM WITH MEDITATION.
THANK YOU.