For the past couple of weeks, we have been exploring how to prepare for and let go into a good night’s sleep.

Of course, that’s the first - and often biggest - part of the sleep battle at times.

But what about those nights you drift off to sleep only to find yourself awake again 4 hours later, staring off into the dark room?

This week, on Episode #125 of the Habit Thrive Podcast, I’m going to share with you 3 breathing exercises - and some honorable mentions - for when you find yourself in that situation.

#1: A Breathing Technique with Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This practice is great for when you wake up feeling tension in your body and is a great way to teach your body to relax.

#2: The 4-7-8 breath

Just like it sounds, this practice involves inhaling for 4, suspending for 7, and exhaling for 8.

A few rounds of this breathing technique can have you drifting back into dreamland.

#3: Alternate Nostril Breathing

This is perfect for when you’re feeling “plugged up” on one side or the other.

It brings balance not only to plugged nasal passages, but a plugged mind as well!

Honorable Mentions:

Square Breath - Inhale for 4, suspend for 4, exhale for 4, suspend for 4.

Suspended Exhalation - Exhale for twice as long as you inhale.

Counting Your Breaths - 1 to 100, 100-1… whatever works for you!

Relaxation Audio - A meditation, nature sounds, or maybe a rainstorm. Anything to distract your wandering mind.

Try one of these the next time you find yourself waking up from your sleep in the middle of the night.

I just know that you will find the perfect practice to bring you back into sleep.

Sweet dreams!

Lorrie xoxox

Download my Sleep Checklist

Loving the show? Let’s connect! Find me:

Facebook: Women's Wellness Community: For women wanting to rock their “Me Now” Years

Instagram: @Habitguru365

Website: lorriemickelson.com

Habits, Mindfulness Routines & Self Care For Women 50 & Beyond

If you’ve been following along the past month of October, you have seen us welcoming the transition into fall by exploring our sleep.

We began with a pause breath exercise and then talked about sleep hacks, evening rituals, and how our daily routines lead to a good night’s sleep.

On Episode #124 of the Habit Thrive Podcast, we are extending our “sleep talk” into the first episode of November with five phrases that I find help me get to - and stay - asleep.

1. The early darkness from the time change is going to help me hunker down and go to sleep.

Try to embrace this time change and use it to your advantage.

Having darkness fall earlier allows you to nudge your body’s internal clock into sleep earlier, which can help leave you more well-rested in the morning.

1. I’m going to keep to my evening ritual as much as I can.

Picture this: You and some friends have decided to join an exercise class together.

The class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm and lasts for an hour.

This seems like no big deal until you start to think about all the things you have to do in the evenings: dinner, laundry, dishes, pack lunch for the next day, etc.

So, you resign yourself to getting less sleep on those nights because you know you’ll go to bed later.

Instead, try preparing and planning ahead so you don’t miss your sleep target.

Pack all your lunches on Sunday so you don’t have to do it during the week. Ask someone else in the family to share in laundry duties. Have your pajamas and toiletries laid out and ready to go for your bath when you get home.

Planning ahead helps the routine be more automatic - and more effective!

1. Keep telling yourself, “All will be well.”

Once you’ve completed your routine and gotten into bed, you hunker down, close your eyes and…

Nothing. You can’t sleep.

Maybe your mind is going a million miles per minute; thinking of things you might have forgotten or need to do the next day. It happens to us all!

In that moment, I like to remind myself that all will be well. My family, my friends, my animals, my home, my plans, my responsibilities. They will all be well.

Then I let that sink in, and allow that feeling to calm me and relax me into sleep.

1. If I wake up during my sleep, I remind myself I’m resting.

If you find yourself waking up in the early Vata hours between 2 and 4am, it can sometimes be difficult to let go back into sleep.

If you can’t simply remember that although you may not be sleeping, you are resting.

Your mind and body are resting and healing and preparing for the day ahead.

1. Once I am up for the day, I remember that I have had enough sleep to do what I need to do for today.

You’re not performing brain surgery. (Well, unless you are a brain surgeon!)

Even if you got very little sleep, or your sleep quality felt less than you desired, it’s still OK.

You did, in fact, get enough sleep to accomplish your goals and tasks.

And, remember, there’s always tomorrow night!

Just keep repeating and remembering these 3 phases, incorporating your habits and routines, and you will soon find yourself relaxing into a wonderful night’s sleep…

Lorrie xoxox

Download my Sleep Checklist

Loving the show? Let’s connect! Find me:

Facebook: Women's Wellness Community: For women wanting to rock their “Me Now” Years

Instagram: @Habitguru365

Website: lorriemickelson.com

Habits, Mindfulness Routines & Self Care For Women 50 & Beyond

This month on the Habit Thrive Podcast is all about sleep.

We started with an episode exploring what contributes to a good night’s sleep and moved into answering the question: Why is it so difficult to put a daily routine into place?

On Episode #123 this week, we are using our Sleep Checklist to set ourselves up for a blissful sleep.

So, start by thinking about what time you go to bed.

10? 11:30? After Midnight?

If you have a consistently later bedtime and it works for you; by all means, stick with that!

But if you notice mornings are a little rough, and you’re always telling yourself “I need to get to bed earlier…”

Then plan for that.

Maybe back that bedtime goal up an hour or two.

From there, begin to plan your evening routine:

Dinner by 7pm

Stopping social media screen time by 8pm

Journal/Yoga/Meditaion

A warm bath at 8pm

A little TV or reading

In bed at 10

And, remember, your bedtime plan doesn’t have to go perfectly every time.

But I guarantee that once you start to notice how you feel after getting a blissful sleep, you’ll have an easier time following that sleep checklist.

Lorrie xoxox

Download my Sleep Checklist

Loving the show? Let’s connect! Find me:

Facebook: Women's Wellness Community: For women wanting to rock their “Me Now” Years

Instagram: @Habitguru365

Website: lorriemickelson.com

Habits, Mindfulness Routines & Self Care For Women 50 & Beyond